The eldest BLACKPINK member, JISOO, started teasing new music via Instagram on October 6, and fans weren’t kept waiting long when “EYES CLOSED” dropped a few days later, a collaborative single with ZAYN. Tender and steady, the song captures the anticipation and freefall of love.
The track is a departure from JISOO’s previous solo endeavors, such as her debut EP, AMORTAGE, which is playful and full of timeless pop elements, and it’s a direction her group only goes towards on occasion. In contrast, “EYES CLOSED” is right in ZAYN’s wheelhouse. Known for his smooth and far-reaching vocals, he is a UK household name, both as a former member of One Direction, and on his own. Such a duo as this, with so much success and support behind them, can’t really go wrong.
Though the song itself is not necessarily anything new, its warmth and melody are welcome all the same. A true duet, the lyrics are a back-and-forth between the two artists set against a prominent acoustic guitar. “Time is standing still and I don’t want to leave your lips / Tracing my body with your fingertips”, opens JISOO. “‘Cause someone like me and someone like you / Really shouldn’t work, yeah, the history is proof”, they lament in the pre-chorus. K-pop typically favors higher musical keys, leaving JISOO's lower register largely underutilized. But here it's a great match to ZAYN's silky and natural tone.
There’s intimacy in a shared past and on the metaphorical cliff they find themselves wanting to jump off of together. In this kind of relationship it often feels like there’s no one else in the world, and the music video reflects that with the singers in space, surrounded by bare and futuristic environments. It’s just them; it’s just their feelings guiding them through the galaxy. “The past can’t hurt us if we don’t look / Let’s let it go, better if we fall in love with our eyes closed”, they vow.
The Official Music Video for "EYES CLOSED" by JISOO and ZAYN
Love found in this sentimental story, and outside of it in their fans, is what propels them, now and in the near future. The internationally-acclaimed musicians will continue soaring at great heights as JISOO is returning to the stage on BLACKPINK’s DEADLINE World Tour, and ZAYN is set to start a Vegas residency in 2026. It was also recently announced he is reuniting with ex-bandmate Louis Tomlinson for a Netflix road trip series. “EYES CLOSED” may be on the gentler side, but it marks a fresh and exciting chapter in their careers.
