Zahir Muhammad, a senior communication and media studies major, is releasing his debut album “What If The Blind Woman Saved Him” during a pivotal time of his own personal journey.

As a multi-disciplinary creative, Muhammad, who goes by his first name on streaming services, has amassed over a million streams on his previous single “Unusual” and will release his debut album on April 11, turning his own experiences into songs.

“Over the last 2 to 3 years, I’ve been going through a period of learning about myself, my trauma and trying to find answers in everything outside of myself,” Muhammad explained. “Whether that be through interpersonal relationships or different vices.”

“What If The Blind Woman Saved Him” is the embodiment of the insight and wisdom Muhammad has gained in the past few years. He hopes that listeners feel inspired to be their own saviors at the end of the project. The album is his own life story being told through a musical lens, and he pours himself into bringing stories to life through his creative projects.

“The title speaks literally and figuratively towards external circumstances,” Muhammad said. “Throughout making the project, I matured and worked through these themes. I had to realize nothing will make me feel saved except myself.”

Muhammad has put nothing but time and effort into every project, even earning shoutouts on Twitter from Earthgang, Tyler, The Creator and Anthony Fantano. The musician has even driven from Louisiana to Utah to film the music video for his 2023 single “Unusual” in the desert.
“I’ll remember these moments, because I put so much into the things that I create,” he said.

Muhammad’s community-oriented nature and willingness to explore intense feelings have also been a pillar of his journey in music. Friends of Muhammad have shown overwhelming support for his music career, with every conversation being impactful on this project.

“There’s been a lot of moments when I’m writing songs and I’m just in a space of pure emotion,” Muhammad said. “I’ve always been good at writing and expressing, but to make a song is different. You’re incorporating cadence, tone and feeling to put what you’ve been carrying into words.”

Muhammad brings a unique flair to the world of music, incorporating multiple genres such as rap, R&B and jazz into each project, never shying away from topics such as navigating grief and self-discovery. The artist said the album discusses the learning process from the point of view of a hero’s journey. He acknowledged that the themes of the album is something he, and many others, struggle with daily.

“I created this album for myself and for people who relate to being everyone’s hero while not having anyone to save them,” he explained. “To remind them that it’s okay to focus on that and not be able to save everyone. Once you find that out, it’ll make you stronger and more able to support those around you.”

To keep up with Muhammad’s music career and the rollout of his upcoming album, he can be found on streaming services as Zahir or on Instagram as @zastarring.

Zahir in the “Swan Song” music video.

Album cover for “What If The Blind Woman Saved Him”