MUMBAI: Zayn Malik's phone number is no longer a mystery, or so it would seem.
On Monday, the 'Pillowtalk' singer surprised fans by sharing a US dialling code phone number on Twitter, without a caption explaining the reason for the sequence of numbers.
Initially, fans questioned whether a quick dial of the number would put them directly into contact with the British singer, but they soon figured out that by ringing the digits, they'd hear his Bradford accent confirm the release date for his 2021 album, Nobody Is Listening, on January 15.
+1 (323)-991-ZAYN
— zayn (@zaynmalik) January 11, 2021
What's more, the recorded phone message informs callers that they can hear a clip of each song from the album if they press any of number, from one to nine, on their mobile device.
IT WORKS GUYS LISTEN IT ITS THE ALBUM pic.twitter.com/3Thn08Svtu
— vini vecchi (@vini_vecchi) January 11, 2021
Some fans guessed the number had all been part of a marketing strategy ahead of his album's release, with one immediately replying to the tweet: 'OH MY GOD SHUT UP ALBUM SNEAK PEAK?? IM PRESSING ALL NUMBERS 1-9 OMG ZAAAYYYYNNNN [sic]'
OH MY GOD SHUT UP ALBUM SNEAK PEAK?? IM PRESSING ALL NUMBERS 1-9 OMG ZAAAYYYYNNNN
— phia NATTIE DAY (@tbslonelyheartt) January 11, 2021
However, others remained dubious as to why the singer shared the number, with one tweeting: 'WHAT.. WHAT IS THAT ZAYN [sic]'
WHAT.. WHAT IS THAT ZAYN pic.twitter.com/2zLsELdGfx
— esraa (@zjm_strong) January 11, 2021
After it was revealed that the number was, indeed, 'real' and by calling it you'd be put directly through to Malik (albeit just his recorded voice), the star's girlfriend, model Gigi Hadid, soon joined in with the online commotion. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, last August.
'Ext. 6! Ext. 8! [sic]' she tweeted, referring to her favourite album tracks, before writing: 'Oh also 2. But honestly they all slap [sic].'
ext. 6 ! ext. 8 !
— Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) January 12, 2021
oh also 2. But honestly they all slap
— Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) January 12, 2021
Some fans jokingly reminded the singer that using the US phone number wasn't a reflection of 'his British roots' and urged him to share 'the British number [sic]' to the voicemail recording, too.
ZAYN US BRITISH PEOPLE REMEMBER YOUR ROOTS AND GIVE THE BRITISH NUMBET
— Annie HAPPY BDAY ZAYN (@28fearlessss) January 11, 2021
Shortly after sharing the number, Malik continued to fuel the social media frenzy by posting a follow up video on social media captioned: 'Vibez Out Now! Nobody is Listening - out Jan 15th! [sic]'
Vibez Out Now! Nobody is Listening - out Jan 15th! pic.twitter.com/dmurpN7ATf
— zayn (@zaynmalik) January 8, 2021