Zayn Malik has today (February 4) unveiled details of his new studio album ‘Konnakol’ – check out all the details below.
The album, the artist’s fifth, will be released on April 17 via Mercury Records/Island Records UK and can be pre-ordered here. The album’s lead record, ‘Die For Me’ will arrive this Friday (February 6).
Malik also debuted some unreleased material at his recent Las Vegas run of shows, including new song, ‘Die For Me’. He also debuted four other unheard songs in the form of ‘Nusrat’, ‘Used To The Blues’, ‘Fatal’ and ‘Take Turns’ at the gigs.
Throughout the residency, fans could take part in a ‘Z5’ listening booth experience where they could hear snippets of his new material.
Speaking about the new album, the musician 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.”
The new album is described in a press statement as a “pop-forward” album and the musician’s “most culturally inspired project to date.”
It continued: “The snow leopard, a profound symbol in South Asia, on the album art showcases how deeply his heritage has inspired the record.”
The snow leopard imagery first appeared at Malik’s recent Las Vegas residency, with some fans correctly suspecting it could be an Easter egg that hinted at more new work to come.
Malik released his fourth solo album, ‘Room Under The Stairs’, in 2024. Upon announcing his run of Vegas shows, a press release promised a “massive year” ahead for the singerin 2026.
His preview of new music comes on the heels of his former 1D bandmate Harry Styles announcing his fourth solo record, ‘Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally’. The project is due for release on March 6.
Meanwhile, ut was at one of Malik’s recent shows that he seemingly took a swipe at Styles by making a comment about ticket prices. During a show last week (Wednesday January 28), Malik appeared to subtly make a dig at his former One Direction bandmate Styles.
“Who’s from Vegas? Who’s from elsewhere?” he asked the crowd. “I just want to say a big, big thank you to each and every single one of you for being here with me tonight. You could’ve been anywhere, [but] you decided to spend your night with me.”
Malik then added a lighthearted remark about how much money fans had spent to attend the concert. “Hopefully the ticket prices weren’t too high – just saying!” he grinned, before shrugging. “Anyway!…”
Many fans have interpreted the comment as a nod to the conversations around the ticket prices for Styles’ upcoming shows at Wembley Stadium.
Styles, meanwhile, smashed the record for the most performances by any act in a single year at London’s Wembley Stadium – eclipsing Coldplay’s 10-night stint last summer. He’ll play 12 concerts at the venue as part of his global ‘Together, Together’ tour.
The pop star will also break the record at Wembley for most gigs performed by a solo artist during a single tour, surpassing the eight nights set by Taylor Swift in 2024. “We are incredibly proud to welcome Harry Styles back to Wembley Stadium for what will be a truly historic run of shows. The 12 nights will be among the most special in our stadium’s long history,” said a spokesperson for the venue.
Styles will be joined in the capital by special guest Shania Twain. He has pledged to donate £1 from every ticket sold to LIVE’s levy to protect UK grassroots music venues.
The singer is touring in support of his fourth solo album, ‘Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally’, which is out on March 6. Styles has already shared the first song from the record, ‘Aperture’, along with its official music video. The song features Wolf Alice frontwoman Ellie Rowsell on backing vocals.
NME gave the single a four-star review, describing it as “Styles as we’ve not heard him before”.