After exiting One Direction in 2015, Zayn’s solo music has largely chronicled his tortured relationships and desperate attempts to self-medicate.
Ever since the defining boyband’s split, the public perception of Zayn has wavered.
On one hand, he seems a moody R&B singer committed to being the best father to his daughter and partner to his current lover. But Zayn also recently pleaded no contest to harassment charges involving his daughter’s grandmother and often sings about his tendency toward anger and depression.
As Zayn’s fifth solo album, Konnakol continues his exploration of general unhappiness at the state of his love life while sometimes shifting towards deeper introspection.
The album’s name refers to a specific type of percussion instrument and vocal combination primarily found in South Indian music. Combined with his inventive sound, Zayn’s vaguely relatable messages of sexual yearning and self-reflection are what keep him so popular.
With Konnakol, Zayn claims he’s matured. But his cycle of self-destruction only seems to grow more potent as each chance to change for the good passes him by.
“Side Effects” sees Zayn confess that he’s aware of his shortcomings. He pleads with his lover, “I really want to get this right/I know sometimes I won’t/Know we’re gonna have some fights.” But he doubles down and says, “But I won’t ever leave your side.”
On “5th Element” Zayn finally realizes he’s losing his grip on the reality of his love life. He admits, “None of it’s getting better … I been out here so alone.”
Those brief moments of self-reflection quickly fade as Zayn’s intentions turn lustful and superficial.
“Met Tonight” retells the story of a one-night stand where sex is the only thing on Zayn’s mind. Through many f-words, Zayn sings about how he “Need your body/like no lie no lie.” He continues by proclaiming: “Body is heaven/I wanna sin tonight.”
Album opener “Nusrat” shows Zayn is still clinging to the hope of rekindling with a former lover. Unfortunately, all he dwells on is how “The liquor I drank went all in my body” and now he “ain’t f—– with nobody.”
“Betting Folk” carries a plea to “Come and hit this weed” so that he and his lover can “kiss on the clouds” and avoid everything in their reality.
On “Used to the Blues” Zayn sings that he’s so in love he “might die.” Despite the hyperbole, he still wants to spend time with his lover because he claims “Cigarettes don’t hit me like you do.”
“Take Turns” reveals a destructive cycle of love where Zayn wants his lover to “love me like you hate me.”
On “5th Element” Zayn alarmingly sings “I wanna leave my body just for one trip … Losing my grip/Reality is my lucid thoughts.”
“Sideways” reveals how painful it is to be in a damaging relationship with Zayn. He sings, “You play games with your love…’Cause it hurts me to watch you leave.”
“Die For Me” recounts the tale of love lost after his partner fails to keep the promise of loving him forever. Their broken love leads Zayn to vindictively claim, “If you have a heart, rip it up, let it bleed.”
Several songs reference karma and its role in falling in and out of love. Throughout the album, Zayn mentions the casual and dangerous reliance on alcohol and varying drugs to soothe his heartbreak with several f-words and variations of s-words.
It’s apparent now more than ever that Zayn’s committed to love on his terms.
He says as much on “Loving Like I Do” where he repeatedly claims, “I won’t stop loving the way I do.”
Commitment is typically far better than its alternative. But only when the committed parties share in selfless and encouraging affection.
Zayn’s consumed by the opposite. His version of preferred love is marred by revenge, lust, and a selfish pursuit of whatever feels best in the moment.
Fleeting moments of self-reflection only appear after he’s lost everything and left to start again. Until those epiphanies lead to actual change, Zayn’s latest version of love is worth avoiding at all costs.
Jackson Greer is a High School English Teacher in the suburbs of Texas. He lives in Coppell, Texas with his wife, Clara. They love debating whether or not to get another cat and reading poetry together. Also, he is a former employee of Focus on the Family’s Parenting Department.
