Kamal. Lands NME's The Cover, Shares "Songs I Wish I Wrote" Playlist

London singer-songwriter Kamal. is the latest subject of NME's weekly artist-spotlight franchise, The Cover, with the feature published Sunday, July 20, 2026. The story is written by Kyann-Sian Williams with photography by Gabriella Drew.

An exclusive playlist: "Songs I Wish I Wrote"

To accompany the feature, Kamal. put together a curated playlist titled "Songs I Wish I Wrote" — tracks he says he wishes he'd written himself. The selection spans artists including Phoebe Bridgers, Frank Ocean, and Norah Jones, and is now live on Spotify and Apple Music.

The debut album behind the timing

Kamal. has spent the past six years building a following on soft vocals and reflective songwriting. He signed to independent label Neighbourhood Recordings at age 16, and his 2020 single "Blue" became an early breakout moment, drawing public shout-outs from Billie Eilish, Dave, and Central Cee.

His debut album, How The F*** Does Everybody Else Manage?, arrived last week and features collaborations with Dave, Natanya, and Keaton Henson. The record grapples with the contradictions of social media, inequality, war, and influencer culture existing side by side, and Kamal. told NME that searching for some kind of moral footing amid those contradictions is the emotional engine of the whole album.