A Global Fusion: Jisoo x Zayn Malik’s “Eyes Closed” Redefines Pop in 2025

By C.M. Ong | October 10, 2025

When BLACKPINK’s Jisoo and Zayn Malik joined forces for “Eyes Closed,” the music world didn’t just get a duet—it got a global cultural event. Released on October 10, 2025, this landmark collaboration bridges K-pop precision and Western pop-R&B soul, marking one of the most talked-about musical crossovers of the decade.

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🎤 The Genesis of an Iconic Pairing

The partnership between Jisoo and Zayn Malik was born out of mutual admiration and a series of subtle hints that captivated fans worldwide. Speculation first began when Zayn attended BLACKPINK’s Deadline World Tour in New York in July 2025, accompanied by his daughter Khai. His enthusiastic post-show reflections on social media sent fan communities into overdrive.

Rumors intensified after Zayn teased “new music with a cool collaborator” during a livestream, and when Jisoo posted cryptic teaser images featuring a shadowed figure with a tattoo similar to Zayn’s, the internet exploded with theories.

For Jisoo, this project represents her first major Western duet and a defining moment following her successful solo releases “ME” and “Amortage.”
For Zayn, “Eyes Closed” marks his most ambitious foray into the K-pop world, symbolizing how borders in modern music are dissolving through collaboration.

Critics praised the partnership for its authentic chemistry—two confident solo artists creating from mutual respect rather than marketing convenience.

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💫 Concept and Thematic Core: Love with Courage

At its heart, “Eyes Closed” explores the bittersweet courage of falling in love again—trusting someone new without letting the past dictate the future. The chorus encapsulates this leap of faith:

“Said, oh, we should fall in love with our eyes closed /
Better if we keep it where we don’t know /
The beds we’ve been in, the names and the faces of who we were with /
And, oh, ain’t nobody perfect, but it’s all good /
The past can’t hurt us if we don’t look /
Let’s let it go…”

The metaphor of “falling in love with our eyes closed” suggests vulnerability and optimism—a willingness to trust love over fear.

Jisoo co-wrote the lyrics alongside international songwriters, describing the creative process as “a reflection on learning to love without fear.” Her delivery—gentle, fluent, and emotionally textured—marks a mature evolution in her English-language artistry.

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🎶 Musical Composition and Production Magic

Musically, “Eyes Closed” blends pop, R&B, and a subtle country undercurrent, built upon a warm acoustic guitar foundation and layered with atmospheric synths and delicate bass textures. The song’s minimalist arrangement allows both artists’ unique vocal tones to shine.

• Acoustic guitar: Earthy and grounding, tying the song to emotional authenticity.
• Dreamy synths: Add a floating, nostalgic aura.
• Soft keys and bass synths: Reinforce the slow-groove rhythm and melancholic undertone.

The vocal production, overseen by Mischke Butler, ensures that Jisoo’s husky tone complements Zayn’s smooth tenor. Their interplay—alternating verses and intertwining harmonies—creates a conversational intimacy that heightens the song’s emotional pull.

Behind the scenes, the single features a powerhouse lineup of producers, including The Monsters & Strangerz and Alex Hope, with mastering by Chris Gehringer, solidifying its high-end, cross-market ambition.

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🌌 Visual Artistry: A Cosmic Love Story

The “Eyes Closed” music video, directed by UnderWonder Content, visualizes the song’s emotional core through a retro-futuristic, space-themed narrative. Set aboard a sleek, drifting spaceship nearing Saturn, the video traces Jisoo and Zayn’s separate journeys through isolation and cosmic longing until they finally meet under Saturn’s rings—a symbol of cycles and timeless love.

The minimalist Passengers-inspired cinematography, marked by cold blues, stark reds, and tight framing, emphasizes human emotion over spectacle. Their monochrome wardrobe and zero-gravity choreography embody both distance and connection, reinforcing the track’s message of trust through uncertainty.

Alt text for SEO: Jisoo and Zayn Malik in Eyes Closed music video scene near Saturn, zero gravity visuals.

 

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🌐 Fan Reception and Global Impact

Promotion for “Eyes Closed” was nothing short of digital theater. From cryptic teasers to synchronized hashtag campaigns, both fandoms—Blinks and Zquad—ignited social media across platforms:

• Over 60,000 pre-saves on China’s QQ Music within hours.
• #EyesClosed and #JisooZayn trended #1 worldwide on X (Twitter).
• The official MV hit 3 million YouTube views within its first six hours.

Fans praised the collaboration as “unexpected yet perfect,” calling it the ultimate East-meets-West moment in modern pop. While minor debates arose about vocal processing, the consensus celebrated the duo’s synergy and innovation.

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🌏 Final Thoughts: The Power of East-West Harmony

“Eyes Closed” stands as a monument to cultural fusion, proving that when artistry leads, genre and geography follow. By pairing Jisoo’s elegance with Zayn’s soulful depth, the single embodies a new generation of boundary-free global pop—intimate, cinematic, and universally resonant.

In 2025’s crowded pop landscape, “Eyes Closed” doesn’t just play on the radio—it plays on the heartstrings of two worlds finally in harmony.

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