BLACKPINK’s Jisoo has unveiled the teaser video for her upcoming duet “Eyes Closed” with former One Direction member Zayn Malik on the 9th. The song is officially set to be released tomorrow at 1 p.m. KST, as announced by her agency.
This collaboration marks Jisoo’s first official duet with a male artist, drawing massive attention from global music fans.
On October 6, Jisoo first sparked intrigue by posting a mysterious teaser image on social media. The photo showed a faint silhouette of a man behind her, the words “EYES CLOSED” boldly displayed across the image, and the caption “a duet is near,” hinting at an upcoming collaboration.
In a second teaser, the male figure became clearer, accompanied by the phrase “Two voices, one song. Coming soon.” The strategic, step-by-step reveal created a social media frenzy, leading to explosive speculation among fans. Finally, on October 7, it was officially confirmed that Jisoo’s duet partner is Zayn Malik, sending global music communities into excitement.
Following the teaser’s release, the song amassed over 60,000 pre-saves on China’s QQ Music, while on X (formerly Twitter), it generated millions of interactions and quickly trended worldwide. Zayn Malik’s official announcement tweet surpassed 26 million views, showcasing the collaboration’s massive cross-continental buzz.
The music video teaser, released by Warner Records, also drew more than 145,000 likes within just a few hours, reflecting the immense anticipation for “Eyes Closed.”
Fans were ecstatic about the unexpected collaboration between the One Direction star and the global superstar Jisoo, calling it “an unbelievable duet that feels too surreal to be true.” Other comments included:
“Their voices blend perfectly. Jisoo’s first official collaboration being with Zayn is just incredible — they complement each other so well.”
“Are you listening to ‘Eyes Closed’ with your eyes closed? The visuals, vocals, and vibe — everything about this duet screams perfection. Zayn and Jisoo singing together? It’s history in the making.”
The connection between the two artists had been hinted at earlier. On July 27, Zayn attended BLACKPINK’s concert in New York with his daughter Khai and later posted photos from the audience on social media with the caption, “Thank you. Khai and I had such a great time.” Fans have even claimed that studio recording photos show Khai present during one of the sessions.
“Eyes Closed” marks Jisoo’s first new release in eight months, following her February solo EP Amortage, which featured tracks like “Earthquake,” “Your Love,” and “Hugs & Kisses.” The album was praised for establishing Jisoo’s distinctive musical identity.
For this latest song, Jisoo joins an impressive lineup of global hitmakers, including Kiddo A, Alex Hope, Isaiah Tejada, Mikky Ekko, Dark Waves, Stefan Johnson, and Jordan K. Johnson. She also took part in writing the lyrics, showcasing her growth as an artist who not only performs but also infuses her own stories into her music.
“Eyes Closed” is said to explore themes of love, healing, and overcoming past scars, blending K-pop sophistication with R&B emotion, and is poised to be one of the most anticipated global releases of the season.
Written by Lee Yoon Jeong
Translated by Lee So Yun
