What I Am (Zayn song)

"What I Am" is a song that sees Zayn venture into the adult contemporary genre, which includes a stripped-back instrumental, while it sees him depart from the sound of his previous music.^[3] Lyrically, he gets candid as he speaks about accepting himself for the way he is and requests the same acceptance from others while also describing a toxic relationship.^[4] On the chorus, he sings: "Don't take me for what I'm sayin' / Just take me for what I am / 'Cause this is where I'm stayin' / My two feet are in the sand".^[5]

Through a handwritten note that he posted on social media the day of its release, he said that "this song is the first release of a special project I've been working on for years".^[6] Eight days before the release of the song, Zayn announced it along with its release date and a short snippet of it before briefly appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon six days after that to share another snippet.^[7]

"What I Am" debuted at number 89 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming his second-lowest charting single in the country as a solo artist since "Entertainer", which peaked at number 95.^[8] The song also peaked at number one on the UK Asian Music chart.^[9] The song reached number six on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart.^[10]