Channeling our inner David Attenborough at ZAYN’s Las Vegas residency looked a lot like spotting a gigantic black-and-white snow leopard prowling behind him during the closing moments—and now, it turns out that animal sighting actually meant something. Yep, quite literally merging into the face of that ferocious creature, ZAYN announced his fifth studio album, KONNAKOL, and every instinct we have is screaming to fangirl accordingly.
Inspired by his Pakistani roots, the album calls back to his debut Mind of Mine and is set to drop on April 17, 2026. But let’s rewind to that residency for a second. Across seven shows, ZAYN treated fans to a career-spanning setlist, sampling tracks from each of his albums—including KONNAKOL. Several unreleased songs made their live debut, and while one of them is officially ours (‘Die For Me?’—we’re prepared to perish the loop button), four others are still lurking around the internet, offering a tantalizing preview of what’s to come.
So, naturally, we’re doing the only sensible thing: breaking each one down—its themes, its sound, and exactly why we’re already desperate for more.
‘Used To The Blues’
Built on sultry guitars and a much slower, stripped-back production, ‘Used to the Blues’ finds ZAYN in a more somber headspace, softening into a moment of quiet resignation. It’s the kind of track that lingers in the shadows, where sadness is the dominant emotion in the jungle—and you start to wonder when, or if, the chirping will ever return. “Cigarettes don’t hit me like they used to do / I got used to the blues,” he muses, sounding less heartbroken than numb, as if melancholy has become a familiar companion rather than a passing feeling. The track closes with a gorgeous, almost off-the-cuff freestyle outro, giving ZAYN the space to fully stretch his voice. It’s a reminder—not that we ever needed one—that his vocal ability remains one of his most luminous strengths, even when wrapped in something this subdued.
‘Fatal’
It’s fatal that the vibe swings in the complete opposite direction—and this track leans fully into it. A club-ready R&B-techno hybrid, ‘Fatal’ is built for late nights and flashing lights, pairing its high-energy pulse with a soulful, Pakistani-inspired chant woven through the backing vocals in Urdu. “Saari yaadein hum bhula den ge,” he repeats—we will forget all the memories—grounding the track’s emotional weight beneath its dancefloor sheen. Despite the adrenaline rush, there’s still vulnerability at its core. ZAYN is searching for solace in another person, confessing he’s “hoping that something helps me find a way,” as if even in the chaos of the club, he’s chasing escape rather than excess. It’s euphoric, restless, and quietly desperate—exactly the kind of contrast that makes KONNAKOL feel alive.
‘Take Turns’
‘Take Turns’ feels like the wild card of the bunch—its full lyrics are still sleuthing their way online, pieced together by eagle-eyed lip-readers before landing in complete form on Genius. But even in fragments, the track highlights ZAYN’s knack for wordplay, blending rap-leaning cadence and quick, poetic phrasing over a sleek, unhurried beat. “I don’t wanna be alone / I want you to take turns,” he offers, striking that familiar balance between intimacy and restraint. While the Hindu-style backing vocals and experimental textures remain, ‘Take Turns’ leans more heavily into his R&B strengths, letting the groove do the talking. It’s smoother, a little sexier, and quietly confident—proof that even KONNAKOL’s outlier knows exactly what it’s doing.
‘Nusrat’
‘Nusrat’ opens on a gorgeous hum, with ZAYN easing us into the track through one of his most luscious harmonies before breaking into the chorus: “’Cause when the lights go down / I swear I’m gonna be right by your side.” There’s a quiet magnetism to the way it unfolds, wrapping itself around you before you even realize you’re fully in it. The track carries a sensual, unspoken promise—one of loyalty, closeness, and choosing to stay when everything else fades out. It’s intimate without being overstated, letting warmth and devotion do the heavy lifting, and it feels like one of KONNAKOL’s most emotionally grounding moments.
Which unreleased track from KONNAKOL (pre-order now for a signed vinyl) are you vibing with already? Let us know over on our socials—Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. And while we’ve got them on loop like undercover spies, the album’s lead single, ‘Die For Me,’ is on streaming services now.
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