| "Befour" | |
|---|---|
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| Promotional single by Zayn | |
| from the album Mind of Mine | |
| Released | 17 March 2016 |
| Recorded | August 2015 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:28 |
| Label | RCA |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Malay |
"Befour" (stylised as "BeFoUr") is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Zayn for his debut solo studio album, Mind of Mine (2016). It was written by Zayn Malik, James Ho, Harold Lilly and Terrence "Scar" Smith, and produced by Malay. It was released as the third promotional single from the album on 17 March 2016 by RCA Records. "Befour" is a smooth R&B and synth-pop song, which incorporates musical elements of disco and soul music. It features four-on-the-floor beats, mellow synths, and a grinding guitar loop in its instrumentation. The song is also noted for Malik's high-reaching falsetto during the song's middle eight section.
Lyrically, the song talks about the story of a man who has finally broken out on his own, and also addresses critics of his career with his former band One Direction and how he felt frustrated and suffocated during the time he was with the band. The song's music video was released on 25 March 2016 (same day as the album's release), and it focuses on youth culture around the North of England, splitting scenes between Malik hanging with friends to images of young people boxing, drinking and dancing.