The title of King’s 2026 album is both a nod to the artist’s moniker and a reference to the 1996 Bollywood blockbuster of the same name. Music of the 1990s and 2000s has heavily influenced the singer-songwriter and rapper to date, and that influence blooms here in a fully fledged pop sound. The record features duets with five revered playback and pop voices of those eras, who shaped King’s understanding of “melody, emotion and storytelling” that permeates these heartfelt songs. In particular, collabs with Shreya Ghoshal and Rekha Bhardwaj stand out for weaving classical elements into a signature hybrid style. “Raja Hindustani is the first album where I truly let the writing lead,” King tells Apple Music. “Every song started with a line, a thought or a feeling that felt too honest to ignore. The production, the collaborations: Everything came after the words felt right. “For me, this album is about owning my voice as a songwriter. The conversation and the emotional aspect of love in this album were meant to be kept very direct. It also comes across as sometimes stubborn, sometimes playful, sometimes vulnerable. But it’s always written from a real place. Raja Hindustani has taken its time to come to life, but I’m glad about the process, and every session that it took us to carve out this project and bring it to its final shape and form.” Here, King takes us through the album, track by track. “Kamaal Hai” “‘Kamaal Hai’ began with a simple lyrical thought: admiration without possession. I wanted to write about someone being extraordinary without trying too hard. The words are playful but restrained. I didn’t want clever lines for the sake of it, just honest charm. And once Aditya Dev came on board to produce this one, it just took a whole new life in terms of the music, which felt fascinating, and still does every time I hear it.” “Jo Ishq Hua” “‘Jo Ishq Hua’ came from a place of surrender. The line itself felt like acceptance. Once love happens, there’s no undoing it. And I’m not gonna lie, I did shed tears after writing it. The lyrics are conversational because I wanted it to feel lived in. Writing this song reminded me that sometimes the most powerful lines are the simplest ones. Fun fact: This was the final song I wrote for the album, and it wasn’t even a part of the initial lineup. And Aditya Dev really worked his magic on this one, for which I’ll forever be grateful. This song will remain as one of my most favourite creations to date.” “Maza Pyaar Karne Mein (feat. Kumar Sanu)” “Kumar Sanu’s music has practically raised me. And after I was done writing ‘Maza Pyaar Karne Mein’, it just hit me that Sir needed to be a part of this record. The lyrics celebrate the drama, the fights, the sweetness. Everything that makes love real. Having Kumar Sanu Sir on this track feels special. His voice carries legacy, and writing lyrics that felt worthy of that voice was a responsibility. The goal wasn’t nostalgia, it was timelessness.” “Yeh Dil Mujhko Tu Dede (feat. Sunidhi Chauhan)” “The song started as a dialogue in my head, and this song’s hook also translates to ‘take my heart, but protect it’. It’s about trust more than romance. The writing focuses on vulnerability without weakness. The overall music for this one took a while to take shape. It’s existed in different sonic spaces before it landed on this beautiful and vibrant arrangement that was crafted by my brother, Mir Desai. He really latched onto the world we were trying to build with Raja Hindustani and pieced this song together in the most incredible manner. And when Sunidhi Ma’am said yes to coming on board, the song just blew the roof open for us in terms of what it could become.” “Yeh Safar (feat. Shaan)” “‘Yeh Safar’ is very close to my heart. It talks about companionship. It’s the idea that love is a journey you choose every day. The lyrics are reflective, almost conversational, because I wanted them to feel mature and steady. Writing this made me realise how important restraint is. By the time I was done writing this, the only voice I could hear was Shaan Sir’s to accompany me on this song. It was such a beautiful core-memory level experience to witness him bring this song to life with his evergreen voice. The outro on this one feels so otherworldly, all thanks to Shaan Sir laying down those incredible harmonies, like a cherry on top." “Haal e Dil (feat. Shreya Ghoshal)” “‘Haal e Dil’ is about emotional honesty, saying what you usually avoid saying. It’s a conversation about ‘Dil’. There’s no hiding behind complex metaphors on this one. It feels unreal that Shreya Ghoshal Ma’am graced this song with her voice. Just the pure precision and grace of her voice and artistry have always dumbfounded me. But to see it happen in front of my own eyes in the studio on my own creation was a little too crazy. And a special shoutout to NEVERSOBER (Riz & Soham) for building this sonic world for the song, because I always wanted to treat ‘Haal e Dil’ as the cinematic-score type of a track on this album.” “Woh Pehla Akshar (feat. Rekha Bhardwaj)” “‘Woh Pehla Akshar’ was born out of my deep love for ghazal music. Growing up, I was always drawn to how ghazals hold emotion so delicately. How they say so much in so little. When I was writing this song, I instinctively felt that this world needed a voice that carried that same timeless depth and honesty, and that’s what led me to Rekha Bhardwaj Ma’am. Having her on the song was truly special because she brought a soul and grace to it that I had always imagined. “While writing it, I realised the emotion wasn’t limited to just romantic love. It started to feel bigger than that. It began to reflect a more unconditional kind of love, the kind a mother feels for her child. It’s pure, instinctive and exists beyond words. In many ways, the song feels like the beginning of love itself. The first syllable, the first feeling, the first connection. “A special shoutout to Bharg for bringing this vision to life musically. He managed to retain the old-school charm and emotional depth that the song needed, while subtly introducing modern pop sonics. He created a soundscape that feels both nostalgic and contemporary, which made the song exactly what I had hoped it would become.” “Aahista Aahista” “‘Aahista Aahista’ was always meant to be the closing song of the album. For me, it feels like the perfect final exhale, full of vibrant sonics and melodies that reflect the colour and emotional fabric of this entire project. It carries a sense of warmth and movement. Mir played a huge role in shaping that feeling. He brought his A-game on this one. From a writing standpoint, this is one of my favourite pop songs in my catalogue. Simple, honest and melodic in a way I’ve always been drawn to. It feels like a blockbuster type of ending, but also a beautiful continuation.”