R&B/Soul
ZAYN announces fifth solo album, KONNAKOL
ZAYN has set a release date for his fifth solo album, KONNAKOL, which is inspired by his South Asian roots.
ZAYN has officially announced his highly anticipated fifth studio album, KONNAKOL.
Set for release on April 17, the record is available to pre‑order now here, with its lead single, Die For Me, set to arrive this Friday (06.02.26).
KONNAKOL marks the former One Direction star’s most culturally rooted project to date.
While the album leans into the pop sensibilities that defined his record‑breaking debut Mind of Mine, it also pushes deeper into the musical and visual influences of his South Asian heritage.
The album artwork features a snow leopard — a powerful symbol in South Asia — which fans first spotted as an Easter egg during the closing moments of each show on his recent Las Vegas residency. Its prominent placement on the cover signals just how central his identity and ancestry are to the new era.
Album Cover: Nabil Elderkin
Speaking about the project, ZAYN said: “It’s that time again, I have been lucky enough to make a fifth studio album… 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. 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.”
ZAYN recently completed his first‑ever Las Vegas residency.
During the run, he previewed several unreleased tracks from KONNAKOL, sparking excitement among fans and critics alike.
KONNAKOL arrives on the heels of 2024’s critically acclaimed Room Under the Stairs, a project that saw ZAYN embark on his first solo tour across the US, UK and Mexico. He has continued to expand his global reach since, most recently teaming up with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo on the collaborative single Eyes Closed.
