British singer and former One Direction star, Zayn Malik has officially announced his fifth studio album, titled ‘KONNAKOL’. After teasing fans about new music on the cards, the singer took to his social media handle, to share the cover image of his new album and open up about the album’s deep-rooted South Asian musical connection.
Zayn announces fifth studio album
Taking to Instagram to share his post, the star revealed, “It’s that time again, I have been lucky enough to make a fifth studio album… My new album, KONNAKOL, out April 17.”
He added that a new track from the album titled ‘Die for Me’, will be released on Friday, February 6.Zayn also offered a deeply personal reflection on the inspiration behind the album. He said, “It is a sound that holds the reverberation of a time before words existed. I have always drawn on my heritage for inspiration since I first started making my own music – this album is a development of that understanding, knowing more now than ever, who I am, where I come from and where I intend to go.”Speaking to Billboard, he shared, “Konnakol in its definition, is the act of creating percussive sounds with one’s voice, but what it means to me lies somewhere much deeper.”
Konnakol Indian roots
Fans soon stepped in to share their excitement about the project and were surprised o find an Indian connection to the new album. Taking to X, one tweeted that the term Konnakol refers to a traditional South Indian art form that uses rhythmic vocal syllables to convey complex percussion patterns. While Malik is not Indian by nationality, he has long acknowledged his South Asian roots and Pakistani heritage, and has frequently expressed his admiration for Indian music, Bollywood films and culture. Over the years, he has occasionally incorporated Hindi and Urdu elements into his work.Further tying his album to his roots, the singer’s album cover features a snow leopard, a powerful symbol in South Asia. In a statement, he said, “The snow leopard, a profound symbol in South Asia, on the album art showcases how deeply his heritage has inspired the record.”The upcoming album ‘KONNAKOL’ comes nearly two years after Malik’s 2024 release ‘Room Under The Stairs‘.
