ZAYN has shared a new song off his upcoming album KONNAKOL. “Sideways” is an atmospheric pop R&B track that showcases the musician’s breathy falsetto. KONNAKOL is out April 17, 2026 via Mercury Records.
KONNAKOL is the former One Direction member’s fifth studio album. It was led by the single “Die For Me.” KONNAKOL expands on the pop sound fans first heard on ZAYN’s record-breaking 2016 debut studio album, Mind of Mine. The album is co-produced by ZAYN alongside Malay (Frank Ocean, Lorde) who he previously worked on Mind of Mine and 2018’s Icarus Falls.
The album art features ZAYN’s face blended with a snow leopard, an important symbol in South Asia, showcasing how his heritage has inspired the record. Relatedly, “Konnakol” is a vocal percussion technique used in South Indian music, in which complex rhythm patterns are spoken aloud with specific syllables.
Later this year, ZAYN will head out on his largest solo tour to date. The KONNAKOL Tour begins May 12, 2026 at the AO Arena in Manchester, UK. From there, ZAYN will touch down in London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, São Paulo, and more before the tour concludes on Friday, November 20 in Miami, FL at Kaseya Center.
Zayn recently wrapped up his first-ever Las Vegas residency, which included the occasional preview of KONNAKOL material.
“Five solo albums now — I was just buzzing that I got to do the first one after [leaving] the band, [and] people seemed to care,” ZAYN recently told Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper. “I’m really proud of the progression and just the development and understanding of myself through my music.”
KONNAKOL follows ZAYN’s 2024 album Room Under the Stairs, which he followed with his first-ever solo tour across the US, UK, and Mexico. In 2025, he collaborated with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo on “Eyes Closed”, which earned a 2026 iHeartRadio Music Award nomination for Favorite K-Pop Collaboration.
