MULTI-PLATINUM recording artist, songwriter, producer, and philanthropist ZAYN has announced his highly anticipated fifth studio album, KONNAKOL, will be released on April 17, 2026, via Mercury Records and is available for pre-order now. Additionally, the lead single from the record “Die For Me” is out now on all streaming platforms.
KONNAKOL is ZAYN’s most culturally inspired project to date. The pop-forward album expands on the sound fans first heard on his record-breaking debut studio album, Mind of Mine. The snow leopard, a profound symbol in South Asia, on the album art showcases how deeply his heritage has inspired the record. Fans first saw the snow leopard imagery at the end of each Las Vegas concert, and now the album artwork brings the Easter egg full circle.
Speaking on the new album, 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.”
The announcement builds on recent momentum for ZAYN, who just wrapped his first-ever Las Vegas residency, where he debuted and teased unreleased material from KONNAKOL, a preview that left fans and critics buzzing. Variety praised the run, noting, “If ZAYN has proven one thing over the course of his solo career, he’s not about following expectations. What matters is that he’s back, visibly more secure, and ushering in a new album that seems packed with commercial potential.”
The album arrives after 2024’s critically acclaimed Room Under the Stairs, which he followed with his first-ever solo tour across the U.S., UK, and Mexico. He most recently teamed up with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo on “Eyes Closed,” which earned a 2026 iHeartRadio Music Award nomination for Favorite K-Pop Collaboration and made an impressive global impact — debuting at #10 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart (43.9M streams first week), #72 on the US Hot 100, #21 on Spotify Global, and topping iTunes in over 40 countries.
Photo/Album Art Credit: Nabil Elderkin
