The song was written in a Las Vegas hotel studio immediately after Zayn left the band. He was inspired by a Big Sean concert he attended that same night, reflecting on how he had traveled the world with 1D but was now finally doing it on his own terms.
An interesting feature of ZAYN 's song is its title and lyrical content, which are widely interpreted as a direct response to his departure from One Direction. ZAYN - BeFoUr
Check out the smooth R&B production and Zayn's signature falsetto in the official audio for 'BeFoUr': ZAYN - BeFoUr (Audio) YouTube• Mar 17, 2016 The song was written in a Las Vegas
In the second verse, he sings, "No strings for you to pull on," which fans and critics see as an allusion to feeling like a puppet or being manipulated during his time in the band. Check out the smooth R&B production and Zayn's
Critics often interpret the lyrics—specifically the line "I've done this before, but not like this"—as a nod to his transition from being in a boy band to having full creative control as a solo artist.
Musically, the song features a standout high-reaching falsetto run during the middle eight section, which served to distinguish his solo R&B sound from his previous pop work.