Zayn Malik Didn't Expect His Solo Career to Get Solid Fan Support

Zayn Malik (Instagram @zayn)

JAKARTA - Zayn Malik couldn't hide his surprise at the loyalty of fans who are still solid to this day.

Ahead of the launch of his fifth solo album titled "Konnakol", the 33-year-old singer admitted that he had felt insecure about the continuation of his music career after leaving One Direction in 2015.

He felt that the achievement of the fifth album was something beyond his initial expectations when he decided to go it alone almost a decade ago.

"To be honest, the fact that people still care is a surprise. Now it's five solo albums - I'm even very happy to have finished the first album after leaving the band, and it turns out that people seem to care," Zayn Malik said while appearing in the best episode of the podcast Call Her Daddy.

He added that he was very proud of the development and understanding of his identity that he had found through his exploration of music so far.

The "Konnakol" is scheduled to be released on April 17 with 15 songs, including the main single "Die for Me" which has been released to the market.

The project is touted as Zayn's most personal work yet as it explores the roots of his Pakistani culture and Muslim heritage where he grew up.

The term Konnakol itself refers to the traditional percussion vocal art in South Indian Karnatic music, which he then combined with a touch of modern pop and R&B.

This musical experiment was previously showcased in his residency in Las Vegas recently. Zayn surprised by performing his new song, "Fatal", which includes Urdu lyrics.

To support the promotion of his latest album, Zayn Malik has confirmed a series of Konnakol Arena Tour which includes 31 performances in the UK, North America, and South America.