New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Fresh from the resounding success of his debut hit, "Movie Script," which soared to #51 on Mediabase Activator Chart, New York based pop singer A-Zal is back with a soul-stirring single titled "Lonely Town," set to release on October 6, 2023.
This forthcoming release pays tribute to New York City and intimately reflects A-Zal's struggles as a rising artist. From living off tips earned from New York subway station performances to working with Marvel Studios and charting on US radio, the singer has travelled a long way. "Lonely Town" is more than just a song; it's a heartfelt tribute to both A-Zal's life journey and the city that became his muse. A-Zal describes, "anything is possible in New York. This city has a power of making dreams turn into reality and changing lives. The city changed my life and allowed me to live the American Dream."
In 2018, A-Zal migrated to the USA, leaving behind his familiar world to chase his American music dream in the vibrant heart of New York City. Amidst the city's glitz and glamour, he encountered a sense of isolation that deeply inspired this track.
The lyrics of "Lonely Town" poetically compares the city to a companion who walked alongside him during the highs and lows of his journey. The song captures the emotional rollercoaster of his pursuit, from homelessness to finding solace in the bustling streets of New York. After self directing his debut single which crossed 130k+ views on YouTube in just one month, the singer has also self-directed this narrative style video and displayed his talent of directing a storytelling style music video.
A-Zal shared his thoughts on the track, saying: "'Lonely Town' is a song I wrote during my early days in New York, when I relied on tips from my subway performances to survive. I moved to the USA in 2018 to chase my music dreams, and New York streets and subway became my new home. Despite the glamour, I felt a sense of loneliness while walking its bustling streets with nothing to my name. Ultimately, New York City became my anchor, my inspiration, and my home. This song is my tribute to the city, which gave me everything."
"Lonely Town" will be available on all major streaming platforms and the music video will be released on his YouTube channel.
A-Zal, also known as Atif Afzal, is a New York-based pop singer. He is the first pop singer of Indian origin who is breaking into the American pop music scene. He released his debut single "Movie Script" on August 11, 2023 which charted in US radio skyrocketing to the Mediabase TOP 40 Activator Charts in just its second week of its release.
"Movie Script" was the first single to release from his upcoming album "17 & 11 Nights", which received great reception by the audience, press and radio. The song entered the Mediabase charts at #114 in just its first week and entered the top 100 in its second week holding the #93 position. In its third week, the song climbed by 31 spots to chart at the #62 spot. According to Mediabase reports, the song has reached the #51 position on the charts in its fourth week. A-Zal stands out as one of the only three independent artists in the top 51, competing alongside major label artists.
Born in India, A-Zal's family migrated to the UK and his childhood was immersed in British pop culture while living in Hounslow, London. This combination of influences helps A-Zal brings a fresh and unique perspective to his music. He moved back to India as a teen to study and ultimately composed film scores for International and Bollywood Productions including the films "Gift", "Prague" and "That Sunday". He also wrote the score for "Monsoon Shootout" which received critical acclaim at the 2013 Festival de Cannes in the Midnight Screenings section.
He migrated to the USA in 2018 after he was granted the Extra-Ordinary Ability visa. Soon after arriving in the USA, A-Zal collaborated with major film studios such as Marvel Studios, CBS Network and Netflix. His soundtracks have been featured in many television series and movies including the popular "Ms. Marvel", "Loki", "NCIS: Los Angeles", "The Twilight Zone" and "Resort to Love". He wrote two soundtracks for two episodes of Ms. Marvel (season 1), one soundtrack for one episode of Loki (season 1), one soundtrack for one episode of NCIS: Los Angeles (season 11), and two soundtracks for one episode of The Twilight Zone (season 2). He also wrote one soundtrack in the Netflix film Resort to Love.
