ZAYN continues to exist in a league of his own on ‘KONNAKOL’ — Album Review

Recommended tracks: “Used to the Blues,” “Side Effects,” “Fatal”
Artists you might like: Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, 5 Seconds of Summer

Despite once being part of the world’s biggest boy band, ZAYN has somehow continued to fly under the radar, rarely receiving the credit he has long deserved. He has now returned with his latest project, KONNAKOL, and it just so happens to be one of the best albums of 2026—though I’m not sure the industry, or even the general public, is ready for that conversation yet. The project was originally being created around the same time as his previous album ROOM UNDER THE STAIRS, but after seeing what fans connected with during his first solo tour in 2025, ZAYN went back into the studio with a clearer vision. That new direction allowed him to lean into his South Asian heritage, resulting in a record that feels uniquely ZAYN and unlike anything else being made right now.

It’s now been over a decade since ZAYN left One Direction and took the risk of building a solo career for himself. He wasted no time proving he could stand on his own with Mind Of Mine, a debut album that introduced fans to a different side of him and gave us the massive hit “PILLOWTALK.” Since then, he has mostly stepped away from the spotlight and chosen a quiet life, choosing collecting eggs from his chickens—or “girls,” as he likes to call them—over red carpets. He’s also embraced fatherhood, welcoming his daughter Khai in 2020, a role that seems to have shifted his priorities in the best way. That farm in Pennsylvania seems to have done him good, and while a lot of artists are constantly trying to stay visible, ZAYN has been focused on the music, and KONNAKOL is a direct result of that.

Luckily for me, I’ve always had this feeling that ZAYN was going to become an artist in his own category. From choosing him as “my lane” during the One Direction days almost 16 years ago, to now being a 23-year old woman watching him evolve into an artist with complete creative freedom, it has come full circle.

Of course, his approach to project rollouts hasn’t come without criticism. With each album cycle, there are fans who say he doesn’t promote his music “enough” or that he should be doing more to make a push for the charts. But to me, it sometimes feels like we’ve lost sight of letting the music speak for itself. Even in this era, where he’s appeared on talk shows, podcasts, and even hosted fan events like early listening parties, that criticism is still there. So it raises the question: do we actually want ZAYN to get the streaming numbers and recognition he deserves, or are we more focused on wanting him to stay visible in the public eye?

To kick off the KONNAKOL era, the singer released “Die For Me,” which he first debuted during his residency in Las Vegas before following it up with a Call Her Daddy appearance to talk more about the single and introduce the record. It was then on Call Her Daddy that he revealed one of his favourite lyrics on the album: “I miss looking at you sideways,” which ended up foreshadowing the second single, “Sideways.” It’s only been a little less than a month, and the track has already surpassed six million streams on Spotify.

It’s on “Used to the Blues,” a track he’s been very vocal about wanting fans to hear, where he admits to becoming numb to the habits—like cigarettes—that once took the edge off. His pain has shifted from startling to something routine, now just a familiar part of his life, framed in a way that has become part of who he is.

His identity is a huge part of this album, specifically honoring his heritage and drawing influence from the music he grew up listening to with his father. “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,” he shares. ZAYN pays tribute to Pakistani Qawwali icon Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on the LP’s opening track “Nusrat,” incorporates South-Asian-inspired rhythms throughout the album on songs like “Fatal,” and even allows his accent to naturally come through on “Like I Have You.”

Vocally, there isn’t a male artist who really even comes close to matching ZAYN’s range. “Breathe” delivers one of the standout vocal moments on the album, mixing his lower register with his striking falsetto. It’s a moment that’s likely to become a highlight on THE KONNAKOL TOUR, which kicks off next month in the UK. Tickets are hyperlinked below.

THE KONNAKOL TOUR Dates
United Kingdom (tickets here)
5/12 – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
5/16 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
5/19 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena Birmingham
5/23 – London, UK – The O2

North & South America (tickets here)
6/14 – Monterrey, MX – Estadio Borregos
6/17 – Guadalajara, MX – Arena VFG
6/20 – Mexico City, MX – Estadio GNP Seguros
7/19 – Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
7/20 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
7/23 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
7/24 – St. Paul, MN – Grand Casino Arena
7/27 – Chicago, IL – United Center
7/28 – Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse
7/31 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
8/24 – Phoenix, AZ – Mortgage Matchup Center
8/25 – San Diego, CA – Pechanga Arena San Diego
8/28 – Inglewood, CA – Intuit Dome
9/1 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
9/2 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
9/5 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
10/2 – Santiago, CL – Movistar Arena
10/6 – Buenos Aires, AR – Movistar Arena
10/10 – São Paulo, BR – Allianz Parque
10/14 – Lima, PE – Costa 21
11/7 – Buffalo, NY – Keybank Center
11/8 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
11/11 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
11/12 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
11/15 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
11/19 – Orlando, FL – Kia Center
11/20 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center

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