Highlights
- Malik reveals his upcoming album draws strongly on South Asian sounds and includes tracks in Urdu.
- This project connects to decades of south Asian underground music traditions.
- The growing popularity of fusion among Gen Z and streaming audiences could bring these styles into wider circulation.
- His work with AUR and songs such as Alienated underline his embrace of South Asian influences.
- Punjabi rhythms and dhol-driven beats will helping shine a light on South Asian music.
Zayn Malik brings Urdu lyrics and Indian beats to his new album Getty Images
Right, so before we get carried away, let’s rewind. British pop has had a long, if sometimes quiet, affair with desi sounds. Think about the 90s. Bands like Cornershop with Brimful of Asha or Apache Indian’s dancehall-Bhangra mix. Talvin Singh won the Mercury Prize for fusing drum’n’bass with classical Indian music. Then came the 2000s and Panjabi MC’s Mundian To Bach Ke became an unexpected global anthem. The Rishi Rich Project brought Punjabi-infused R&B to the charts.
Though they were hits, they never quite kicked the door down for good. The music stayed in its lane, on specialist stations like BBC Asian Network and in community clubs. The dhol drum kept pounding at Vaisakhi celebrations and weddings, but it rarely found a permanent home on mainstream pop radio. That’s the legacy Malik is stepping into.
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Why could this South Asian pop moment work now?
Timing is everything, right? And the timing for Malik’s South Asian turn feels almost perfect. Why? The consumption landscape is different: social platforms and streaming services flatten genre borders. A catchy Urdu hook can be a TikTok trend before radio teams even notice.
Listeners, especially younger ones, are used to a global playlist. They’ll stream K-pop, then Afrobeats, then a Bhangra remix. Mixing a Punjabi beat into a pop song isn’t weird to them; it’s just interesting. It’s fresh. Plus, the massive success of other global genres has already conditioned the industry and audiences to embrace non-English lyrics and different sonic textures. The path is definitely more paved now than it was for those 90s pioneers.
Social platforms and streaming services flatten genre bordersiStock
What does this mean for the future of pop and south Asian music?
This is the big question. If Malik’s album connects, if it really lands, it could send a shockwave through the industry. A hit single with Urdu lyrics and a dhol rhythm would be more than just a hit. It would be a huge validation. It would prove to labels and radio stations that these sounds have widespread commercial appeal.
Zayn Malik explores South Asian sounds in upcoming music releaseGetty Images
Suddenly, the incredible pool of British-Asian talent, from producers to lyricists to DJs, isn’t so ‘niche’ anymore. It could give other artists the confidence to bring their own heritage sounds to the forefront. For the South Asian community, it would be a powerful moment of representation, hearing the rhythms of their homes and celebrations topping the charts.
Babatunde Aleshe turns Elf On The Shelf into mischief storyline on Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special Getty Images/Instagram/Strictly Come Dancing 
Babatunde Aleshe turns Elf On The Shelf into mischief storyline on Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special Getty Images/Instagram/Strictly Come Dancing 
