"Befour" (stylised as "BeFoUr") is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Zayn for his debut solo studio album, Mind of Mine (2016). It was written by Zayn Malik, James Ho, Harold Lilly and Terrence "Scar" Smith, and produced by Malay. It was released as the third promotional single from the album on 17 March 2016 by RCA Records. "Befour" is a smooth R&B and synth-pop song, which incorporates musical elements of disco and soul music. It features four-on-the-floor beats, mellow synths, and a grinding guitar loop in its instrumentation. The song is also noted for Malik's high-reaching falsetto during the song's middle eight section.

Lyrically, the song talks about the story of a man who has finally broken out on his own, and also addresses critics of his career with his former band One Direction and how he felt frustrated and suffocated during the time he was with the band. The song's music video was released on 25 March 2016 (same day as the album's release), and it focuses on youth culture around the North of England, splitting scenes between Malik hanging with friends to images of young people boxing, drinking and dancing.

Prior to his departure from the band One Direction, Zayn Malik started working on his debut solo album. Initially, he was seen in the studio with UK producer Naughty Boy, however there had a public falling-out later and parted ways. Shortly after, Malik's management team reached out to record producer Malay Ho because Zayn was a fan of his work with artists such as John Legend, Alicia Keys and Frank Ocean. Later, on 22 July 2015, it was announced that Zayn was recording new music with the producer, after he posted a photo with the singer on his Instagram account. The producer first heard "Pillowtalk" and "Fool for You" before accepting to produce for the album, and after being impressed by Malik's vocals, he accepted.

...
Wikipedia