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Zayn Malik Honors Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan With A New Song Named After The Legend
Zayn Malik is leaning into his roots for his fifth studio album, and his latest revelation has fans in Pakistan and beyond buzzing with excitement. During a recent appearance on the Track Star Show, the singer confirmed that his upcoming project, Konnakol, features a track titled ‘Nusrat’—a direct tribute to the Qawwali maestro, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
The 33-year-old artist sat down with host Jack Coyne for a “Guess the Artist” segment, where he instantly recognized the legendary voice of NFAK. After identifying the track, Zayn opened up about the deep musical influence the “Shahenshah-e-Qawwali” has had on his own creative journey and the global music scene.
The Jeff Buckley Connection
In a fascinating bit of music trivia, Zayn discussed how the late American singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley was also “madly inspired” by the Pakistani icon.
“Jeff Buckley listened to a lot of his music and that’s why he used to do them like weird runs and stuff because he loved Pakistani music,” Zayn explained.
To emphasize the point, the interview highlighted Buckley’s famous live rendition of Yeh Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai, proving that the influence of Pakistani classical music has been crossing borders for decades.
What Is ‘Konnakol’?
Zayn also took a moment to explain the unique title of his new album. Konnakol is a traditional South Indian art form of performing percussion syllables vocally. The singer shared that he has been experimenting with using his own voice to create the rhythmic foundation of the music before layering his vocals on top.
This experimental approach, combined with the tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, suggests that Konnakol will be Zayn’s most heritage-focused project to date.
The track ‘Nusrat’ and the full album are scheduled for release on April 17. For fans who have watched Zayn evolve from a boy-band sensation to a soulful solo artist, this tribute feels like a full-circle moment for his identity and his artistry.
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