The Weeknd teases new single with Madonna and Playboi Carti for ‘The Idol’

Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye’s debut television series ‘The Idol’ is set to premiere in less than one week, and in anticipation, he has teased an upcoming new single with Madonna and Playboi Carti.

The new song will be titled ‘Popular’ will be released on Friday, June 2, and will be featured on ‘The Idol, Vol.1′ soundtrack. The soundtrack will also be available for preorder on Friday. Fans who use either Spotify or Apple Music are currently able to presave the album on their accounts.

‘Popular’ is now the second single to be released from the official soundtrack for ‘The Idol’, after Tesfaye released ‘Double Fantasy’ featuring Future on April 21.

The single also marks both Madonna and Playboi Carti’s first releases in 2023. Madonna will also have a new single with ‘Unholy’ singer Sam Smith called ‘Vulgar’ coming out next Friday, June 9.

Anticipation for ‘The Idol’

‘The Idol’ is Tesfaye’s first television project, and stars himself, as Tedros, a charismatic cult leader and club owner, and Lily-Rose Depp as Jocelyn, an up-and-coming popstar who’s determined to become “America’s greatest and sexiest popstar” after suffering a mental breakdown that caused the cancelation of her last tour.

Jennie, from the K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, will also be making her acting debut in the series. Troye Sivan, Moses Sumney, and Mike Dean are all set to appear in the series as well.

‘The Idol’ explores the darker underbelly of Hollywood, exploring the worlds of pop music, celebrity obsession, drugs, sex, and cults.

The series’ first two episodes premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival on May 22, where it was critiqued for its violence, sexuality, and what many felt were sexist themes.

Despite this, some have praised the series, including actress Sharon Stone.

“I just watched the first two episodes of @theidol @lilyrose_depp and Abel (@theweeknd) r so sure footed,” she wrote on an Instagram story post.

“#SamLevinson addresses the root of crisis in entertainment; Which comes first the brilliance or the heartache?” she added.

Depp and Tesfaye have also defended the series.

“I think that the way that [Jocelyn] dresses, for example, is her trying to tell you something all the time or say something to the people that she’s around or express herself in some kind of way,” Depp said at the Cannes Film Festival press conference.

After Rolling Stone released an article with crew members critiquing the content of the show, The Weeknd commented on the article and subsequent criticisms that the series was “rapists trying to make a rape fantasy.”

“I thought the article was ridiculous,” he told Vanity Fair, adding “there were things in that description that have nothing to do with my persona at all.”

‘The Idol’ will premiere on HBO on Sunday, June 4, 2023.