ZAYN announces new album KONNAKOL

ZAYN (aka Zayn Malik) says his next album KONNAKOL will arrive April 17. Lead single "Die For Me" will release this Friday, February 6.

The album title refers to a style of vocal percussion originating in Carnatic music. "What it means to me lies somewhere much deeper," ZAYN said in an emailed statement. "It is a sound that holds the reverberation of a time before words existed."

While we don't have many details on ZAYN's recording process, it is surprising to see the half-Pakistani artist invoke the Carnatic music of South India as opposed to the Hindustani music of North India, which is more popular in his dad's home country. How the sounds and ideas of this classical music style will blend with his pop-R&B bonafides remains to be seen.

A press release says KONNAKOL will expand on the sound of Malik's 2015 debut Mind Of Mine. In ZAYN's 2015 FADER cover story ahead of that album, he said he'd been recording his debut album on a mobile rig out in the woods, aiming to make "cool shit" he'd want to play for a girl on a dinner date.

Mind Of Mine was heavily indebted to the alt-R&B of Miguel and Frank Ocean, and was co-produced by James "Malay" Ho, who worked extensively on Channel Orange and Blonde. But Malik and Malay haven't worked together since Zayn's 2018 sophomore album Icarus Falls, so it seems unlikely he'll contribute to the record.

Taking a quick look at Zayn's Instagram following, I'd say fans can expect more collaborations with Nashville producer Dave Cobb, who helped with much of 2024's Room Under The Stairs; and while another Ingrid Michaelson collaboration would be a big surprise, perhaps we'll finally hear what Zayn and Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic were cooking up a few years ago?

Fans can preorder KONNAKOL via Zayn's website. While you're waiting for the album, revisit this exclusive excerpt of Zayn's 2016 autobiography where he discusses recording Mind Of Mine, and The FADER's scene report from a Zayn Malik Lookalike Contest in Brooklyn.