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Zayn Malik<\/a>‘s next album is shaping up to be a surprising and exciting body of work, especially for those who like country music.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The former One Direction singer, 31, is currently working on an LP and has enlisted the help of Dave Cobb, an accomplished and sought-after music producer based out of Nashville. Cobb, a nine-time GRAMMY winner, has previously worked with artists like Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell and Lady Gaga. He is also behind The Highwomen, a country music group comprised of Maren Morris, Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Amanda Shires.<\/span><\/p>\n Malik and Cobb recently spoke with <\/span>Rolling Stone<\/em><\/a>\u00a0about the project, which is referred to as “sonic” and a foray into “vocals with live instrumentation” for the “Pillowtalk” singer. The outlet reported that Malik worked on the album at his Pennsylvania home for several years and recently brought Cobb on as a co-producer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Cobb — whose experience also stretches into rock music, previously collaborating with Slash,\u00a0Sammy Hagar\u00a0and Greta Van Fleet — said he immediately was attracted to working with the “Let Me” singer based on his voice and the “universe” he created on the album prior to him signing on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “What got me about Zayn was his voice, you can hear love, loss, pain, triumph and humanity in it. I feel as if this record is removing the glass from his spirit directly to his fans,” Cobb said. “Zayn has really created his own universe on this record, he really has no fear and is speaking straight from his soul.”<\/span><\/p>\n Just last year, Malik teased the new music during an appearance on the <\/span>Call Her Daddy<\/em><\/a> podcast with host Alex Cooper, saying it will most likely surprise fans as he tries something new.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “I’m doing a record I don\u2019t think people are really gonna expect. It\u2019s a different sound for me,” he told Cooper, 27. “And it\u2019s got some more narrative going on, like real-life experiences and stuff. My daughter\u2019s mentioned in there a couple of times.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Immediately after the <\/span>Rolling Stone<\/span><\/em> article released on Wednesday, fans were quick to weigh in with their thoughts (and jokes) about the possibility of a country record.<\/span><\/p>\n