Fingers

## *Icarus Falls* Chronology

**Fingers** is a song by singer and songwriter Zayn Malik from his second studio album, *Icarus Falls*. It is the twenty sixth track of the album.

The track also serves as the fifth single from the album.

Lyrically, the song is about a failed love that is paralyzing the protagonist, preventing him from even texting his lost love.

## Background

The song was written by Malik himself, along with *Mind of Mine* collaborator, Alex Oriet (also known as XYZ) and David Phelan.

The song stands in stark contrast to Zayn's previous two, more dance-infused songs: "Sour Diesel" and the Timbaland-assisted "Too Much".

Zayn later encouraged fans to upload themselves dancing to the song and to tag it "#FingersDance", as a "challenge" that they could potentially win a gift from.

"Create your own dance to #Fingers & upload to any social platform with #FingersDance. We will be sending gifts to a few who participate," the singer posted on Twitter.

Together with the announcement, Zayn also shared the first video of the challenge, which features three girls dancing to choreography by Charity Baroni.

In the video, the lady squad flawlessly gets down to the sultry beat in a combination of contemporary moves and street dancing.

## Lyrics

**[Verse 1]**

Fucked and I want ya

Looked and I loved ya

Stuck, now I need ya

Hopin' I'd see ya

Touch, wanna feel her

Much can't conceal her, no

Hiding all your features, sliding on the filters

Should be you that's in the middle

Don't be hiding what you thinkin'

**[Chorus]**

I been fucked and I want ya, I can't even text ya

'Cause my fingers ain't working, but my heart is

If you wanna, let me know where you hiding

I can come and love ya (I can come and love)

I can come and love (I can come and love ya)

I can come and love ya (I can come and love)

I can come and love ya (I can come and love ya)

**[Verse 2]**

What did I tell ya?

Typo said I loved ya

Didn't mean what I was sayin'

No, I wasn't playin', just confused

Was tryna play it smooth

Stood spinnin' in this room

In this state, I been consumed

State, I've been consumed

**[Chorus]**

'Cause I'm fucked and I want ya, I can't even text ya

'Cause my fingers ain't working, but my heart is

If you wanna, let me know where you hiding

I can come and love ya (I can come and love)

I can come and love (I can come and love ya)

I can come and love ya (I can come and love)

I can come and love ya (I can come and love ya)

**[Bridge]**

I know it's taking all your strength to keep restrained

'Cause you got different things replacing

Old feelings that you felt

Now you seen it for yourself

Where's the shame? No shame in what you need

**[Chorus]**

Fucked and I want ya, I can't even text ya

'Cause my fingers ain't working, but my heart is

If you wanna, let me know where you hiding

I can come and love ya (I can come and love)

I can come and love (I can come and love ya)

I can come and love ya (I can come and love)

I can come and love ya (I can come and love ya)

## Reception

David Renshaw of *The Fader* called "Fingers" a "slow jam" with lyrics about texting, with Zayn singing "'my fingers ain't working but my heart is' over a pitched up vocal sample". Jon Blistein of *Rolling Stone* said the song "boasts an alluring mid-tempo beat with low synths bubbling around a crisp drum groove", explaining that Zayn "keeps his vocals low, yet seductive as he tries to come to grips with an unrequited love while staring at his phone". Gil Kaufman of *Billboard* called it a "hazy R&B ballad" that concerns "a love that is so paralyzing that it makes your digits freeze up mid-text".

## References

1. ↑ Zayn Struggles to Text His Feelings on Seductive New Song ‘Fingers’
2. ↑ inZAYN on Twitter
3. ↑ Zayn Launches 'Fingers' Dance Challenge & Promises to Send Gifts to Some Lucky Dancers
4. ↑ Zayn shares new song “Fingers”
5. ↑ Zayn Says His Digits Don't Work, But His Heart Definitely Does on Smoldering 'Fingers'