Indian-Origin Artist A-Zal Walks Through the ‘Lonely Town’ of NYC in New Video

The singer-songwriter, producer and composer seeks belonging in the Big Apple with his gentle pop song

Anurag Tagat
Oct 19, 2023

New York-based pop artist A-Zal.

New York-based pop artist A-Zal aka Atif Afzal longs for companionship within the hustle of his new home in “Lonely Town,” which is part of his upcoming album 17 & 11 Nights. The single follows his debut song off the album, a more exuberant track called “Movie Script.”

With “Lonely Town,” however, A-Zal brings back a feeling he felt in his early days of moving to the U.S. from the U.K. in 2018. In a statement, the artist recalls the “bold decision” to migrate to the U.S., living off tips from busking at subway station platforms – something that he recreates in the monochrome music video.

While the song captures the isolation felt even while being in the hustle and bustle of New York City and was written during his “early struggle days” in the U.S., A-Zal has since gone on to find decent success. Building off his experience in Mumbai’s music industry – where he composed film scores for movies like Monsoon Shootout – A-Zal went on to compose songs and score pieces for series such as Ms. Marvel, Loki, NCIS: Los Angeles and The Twilight Zone.

There’s an unmistakable composing sensibility that A-Zal brings forward from writing music for screen on “Lonely Town,” with piano and string arrangements meshing with starry guitar work. The video is every bit just as cinematic, set in spots like Times Square, Central Park and other areas.

He adds in a statement, “I moved to New York, a city with a unique charm which pulls people like a magnet from all over the world. However, I felt there was also a lonely side to the city which had a totally different story. I started here with nothing in my hands and felt lonely even while I walked the buzzing streets filled with glamor. Eventually, it was New York City that held my hands, the wind below my wings, and my home. This song is my way of giving a tribute to New York.”

Watch the video for “Lonely Town” below.