It looks like The Weeknd and Playboi Carti have some new music that fans will be able to enjoy soon. On Sunday (May 28), the duo took to social media to reveal a FaceTime exchange ahead of the forthcoming single “Popular,” a track that will also feature pop legend Madonna. The track was produced by The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, and Mike Dean and is expected to appear on the official soundtrack for the HBO series “The Idol.”
Last week, those that were tuned in to this year’s Cannes Film Festival got a taste of “Popular” during The Weeknd‘s appearance on the red carpet. Upon listening, the genre-bending, melodic effort has all the ingredients of a hit collaboration. “You’re the only one taking over, yeah, sell her soul to be popular, tryna say you popular,” the “Starboy” singer says on the song.
Next month, HBO subscribers will tune into “The Idol,” a drama series that is centered around aspiring artist Jocelyn, played by Lily-Rose Depp. The Weeknd stars in said series as a self-help guru and leader of a cult that Jocelyn falls for.
Earlier this month, The Weeknd — real name Abel Tesfaye — revealed that he was ready to do away with his iconic moniker. “The album I’m working on now is probably my last hurrah as The Weeknd,” he said in an interview with W Magazine. “This is something that I have to do. As The Weeknd, I’ve said everything I can say… It’s getting to a place and a time where I’m getting ready to close The Weeknd chapter. I’ll still make music, maybe as Abel, maybe as The Weeknd. But I still want to kill The Weeknd. And I will.”
Check out both a screenshot from The Weeknd’s FaceTime video with Playboi Carti and a snippet from the Canadian star’s aforementioned Cannes appearance below.