Production was primarily handled by Zayn and Dave Cobb, alongside Gian Stone, James Ghaleb, Carter Lang, Rodaidh McDonald, German, and Kareen Loomax.
[1] On 28 February 2024, American record producer Dave Cobb revealed that he was working with Zayn on the (then) upcoming album in an interview with Rolling Stone, in which he said: "You can hear love, loss, pain, triumph and humanity in [his voice]... Zayn has really created his own universe on this record, he...has no fear and is speaking straight from his soul".
[4] "I think the intention behind this album fully is for the listener to get more insight on me personally as a human being... my ambitions, my fears, and for them to have a connection with that and that's why it's so raw.
[7] According to Clash, Room Under the Stairs is a "true coming-of-age story... where he draws on genres such as soul, country, and pop, and his lyrical sincerity and renewed creative freedom have taken his music in an exciting and interesting direction that no one saw coming.
Zayn's sonic reinvention arrives immediately in Room Under the Stairs, as the opener "Dreamin" pairs his general sense of yearning with blues rock that reaches out for listener participation.
[11] Remaining at a jazzy pace throughout, "Dreamin" showcases Zayn's remarkable voice reaching new peaks as he effortlessly weaves in and out of R&B-styled runs.
[13] The album's third track "Grateful", is alternately languid and soaring, with Zayn given a platform to show off his full, impressive vocal range.
[16] Zayn's voice is purposely thinned out, sounding emotionally wobbly, the brittleness of the performance is effective given the lyrical themes.
[8] The vocal performance on "False Starts" is dynamic with Zayn leaning into his falsetto and showing off the full spectrum of his technical talent.
[19] Although Zayn spends much of "Shoot at Will" sounding resigned to an unhappy fate, the tender acoustic guitar offers a glint of hope, as the song threatens to boil over into buoyant folk pop but never crosses the threshold.
[11] The closing "Fuschia Sea" returns to the smooth and sultry vocal deliveries that we heard from Zayn's previous projects.
[23] Zayn announced his first-ever solo live show at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on May 17 in celebration of the release of his fourth album Room Under the Stairs.
"[16] Shannon Garner of Clash stated that it "is a revealing meditation of his journey in life where he lays his thoughts and feelings bare and the songs are built on a relaxing energy".
"[8] The Daily Telegraph stated that the album shows "Malik's voice washes over you in slow, sensual waves, backed by instrumentals that sound more at home in dingy dive bars than brightly-lit stadiums.
It's a courageous, creative statement from an artist who has emerged from the crucible of personal evolution battle-scarred yet unbroken, with a clarity of voice and purpose as bracing as it is beautiful.
Eschewing his pop R&B sound, it focuses on rustic acoustic guitars, tinkling keys and the patter of live drums".
"[13] Sophia Simon-Bashall of The Line of Best Fit praised the album, stating that "they're Zayn's stories but they're shared in such an honest, straightforward yet compelling manner that they feel like your own.