Zayn Malik Debuts ‘Futuristic’ Music Video for ‘Like I Would,’ Wears One Orange Contact

Unsurprisingly, Zayn Malik (a.k.a. ZAYN) is hotter when he’s not wearing one orange contact lens, as he does in the music video he released today for “Like I Would,” the single from his debut solo album Mind of Mine, which came along in March. The video, which has a very Daft Punk–lite vibe, features Malik (sorry— ZAYN) wandering around in a coat bedazzled with some light-up pearl things letting us know, “It’s OK to want me, ’cause I want you.” Thanks, Z! Good to know.

In an age when stripped-down music videos have become hip (see: Drake’s “Hotline Bling”; Janet Jackson’s latest, “Dammn Baby”), one might think that Malik’s latest would fit right in with the cool kids—after all, who doesn’t want to be just like Drake or Janet?—but this video just seems phoned in. Malik is definitely on an ongoing odyssey in hopes of becoming a respected pop star and legit celebrity (see: leaving One Direction, dating Gigi Hadid), and he’s certainly doing his darnedest, but the visuals for “Like I Would” don’t really drive any kind of point home.

Part of the problem might be the fact that this song is pretty basic. It sounds just like every other bubblegum-pop song known to man—the kind of situation that hits every airwave for five minutes and is then subbed out for something else that sounds exactly like it. But—whatever. Malik has a slamming-hot girlfriend and he left those pretty boys in the dust, so who are we to drag him down? Congrats, ZAYN. The new video looks great.