UK Music Chart Shows Zayn Malik Could Be Next Biggest Thing As New Single 'Pillowtalk' Gets Released

The music video of Zayn Malik's new solo single "Pillowtalk" easily broke the Internet as it earned 18 million views (and now up to 34 million) in just 72 hours after its release five days ago.

But that could just be attributed the fact that the music video featured steamy scenes between the former One Direction hottie and his girlfriend, Victoria's Secret model Gigi Hadid.

Nevertheless, Zayn Malik's decision to quit One Direction and go solo proved to be fruitful as his new single is ruling the charts in the UK.

"His hotly-anticipated debut single finally dropped on Friday," The Daily Mail reported. "And Zayn Malik's Pillowtalk is on course to top the UK singles chart this week with the raunchy track currently 23,000 copies ahead of its closest competitor, Jonas Blue's Fast Car."

The UK news site also said that the track, which is accompanied by a music video featuring his supermodel girlfriend Gigi Hadid, is "surging to the top of the iTunes chart in 60 countries."

"Pillowtalk" is part of Zayn Malik's first solo album called "Mind of Mine" which will be released on March 25.

Malik said he was feeling mixed emotions during the hours leading to his single's release.

"Like a mix of emotions," he told Beats One DJ Zane Lowe inside Valley Parade.

"I'm feeling excited. I'm feeling nervous. I'm feeling happy I guess because I've finally got to do what I wanted to do. I don't know how to explain it and put it into words. It's like waiting for Christmas when you have that build up of butterflies in your stomach."

Zayn Malik's new single "Pillowtalk" opened to great reviews. AXS thought it brought out the artistic side of the 23-year-old singer.

"The debut clip seems to reflect the singer's artsy side with scenes of the couple and other barely-dressed women covered in paint and presented in trippy visualizations. The action here is not as steamy between the two as the song suggests but it's still a NSFW video."

Forbes contributor Hugh McIntyre also said that Zayn Malik's new single "Pillowtalk" is "decidedly grown up, complete with plenty of x-rated words and adult imagery and themes."