The Weeknd has linked up with Madonna and Playboi Carti for ‘Popular’, the second track from the soundtrack to his HBO show The Idol. It follows last month’s ‘Double Fantasy’, which was produced by Mike Dean and featured Future. Listen to ‘Popular’ below.
Speaking about the collaboration in an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, the Weeknd said:
I’m proud of it. I’m definitely proud of it. Me and Carti had this… I mean, we’ve jammed out before. We’ve had a different version of this song prior. So I’ve had these vocals for a while and I’ve kind of just worked around it, and then kind of kept it in the tuck. But now it felt like it was time. It was time. And it felt right and it felt cohesive with this album that I’m working on right now. Or that I just actually finished. The Idol soundtrack, yeah. And so I’ve been producing the song for a while. And then Madonna, Madge. She’s the ultimate co-sign for this song, for this album, and for this TV show. And you’ll hear more of her in the show as well too. She is the ultimate pop star.
Of working with Madonna, he added: “I mean, the thing is, I’ve always wanted to work with her. I’ve always wanted to write and produce a Madonna album… well, co-produce with her, of course … because she’s a visionary and she has such a singular vision, and I just want to come into her world and create a classic Madonna album. That was always my dream. So this can be… Hopefully this is the appetizer for that.”
The Idol Vol. 1 is available for pre-order today.