The Real Meaning Behind Zayn's Song Love Like This
Zayn Malik, once a member of the boy band One Direction and now a solo act, released a new single in late July 2023. The track, titled "Love Like This," describes finding a passionate love you don't want to let go of or lose. The song was produced by Jon Bellion and The Monsters & Strangerz and written by Malik, Bellion, Michael Pollack, Stefan Johnson, and Jordan K. Johnson.
"Love Like This" is the first song Malik released after joining Mercury Records. He was dropped by RCA Records in 2021 due to his unruly behavior, which was announced around the same time the alleged fight between Malik and Gigi Hadid's mom Yolanda Hadid happened.
In "Love Like This," the opening verse's lyrics show the narrator, or Malik himself, complimenting his love interest and how he loves their attitude and the support they provide. In the pre-chorus, Malik expresses his deep devotion to his muse and how badly he needs them: "You are the, you are the crown / I just wanna take your time and / Everything is on the line, but I would rather be dead / If it's gonna mean a life that's lived without you, baby."
Malik references a rule-breaking poker technique
In the "Love Like This" chorus, Zayn Malik sings, " Usually, I never wanna jump like this / But I think I wanna dump my chips 'cause / I cannot go back." This line and the rest of the chorus allude to how Malik is usually more cautious about falling in love, but this time, he's jumping right in with no hesitation.
The phrase "dump my chips" references chip dumping in poker or purposefully losing a game to give your money to another player. This is not allowed, even if a player is just trying to help a friend, as some people use the chip-dumping technique to launder money. Of course, Malik is not talking about laundering money in "Love Like This." He is most likely singing about giving everything to his lover, no matter the sacrifice. Or, the poker game could be a reference to the dating game, and by dumping his chips, Malik is preparing to settle down.
Malik gives a nod to his time in One Direction in the song's second verse. The lyrics say, "Doesn't matter if it's left or it's right / Your direction is on my mind." This likely means he will follow his muse wherever they go, and he wants to look ahead instead of into his past. Due to Malik's relationship with his ex Gigi Hadid and her mom Yolanda, it makes sense that he would focus on future relationships.
Malik emphasizes his devotion to his muse
Zayn Malik includes numerical references in the post-chorus of "Love Like This." It starts with, "One kiss, I am wrapped / Two, four, six, my jack." The first line implies that the narrator is metaphorically wrapped around their love interest's finger and would do anything for them.
The phrase "on my Jack" is an outdated British phrase that means being alone. But according to Rap Dictionary, "hit my jack" means "Call or text my phone." Malik is likely referencing the modern definition. Perhaps Malik is saying that his lover has called or texted two, four, or six times since their first kiss or that he has reached out that many times. It could also be another poker reference since a Jack is a high-ranking card in a standard deck.
Later in the post-chorus, Malik sings, "Two and I'm attached," emphasizing just how in love he is because, after only two kisses, he's ready to get serious about the relationship. After the bridge and chorus, the song wraps up with an outro: "I can't let go of you, baby / I cannot go back / But I think I gotta take that risk 'cause / I cannot go back." Malik once again reinforces how badly he does not want to return to any old relationships or to his single life. He is willing to risk a broken heart for his muse.