The Weeknd Teams Up with Madonna, Playboi Carti on New Single for "The Idol"

Canadian singer Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye collaborated with the Queen of Pop Madonna and Playboi Carti feature on the single “Popular”.

The track dropped Friday on YouTube and is the latest song to arrive from "The Idol Vol. 1", the soundtrack of his upcoming HBO show "The Idol".

“Popular” visualizer featured footage of The Idol’s cast at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where the series screened its first two episodes ahead of its official release on June 4.

The Weeknd and Future previously teamed up for the soundtrack’s lead single “Double Fantasy”.

The Weeknd starred, co-wrote, and co-created the six-episode series, which was first announced in June 2021. 

Co-created by Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and Reza Fahim, "The Idol" is set to the backdrop of the music industry in Los Angeles. 

It follows a female pop singer ( Lily-Rose Depp) who starts a romance with an enigmatic L.A. club owner who is the leader of a secret cult. 

The cast also incudes Melanie Liburd, Tunde Adebimpe, Steve Zissis, Troye Sivan, Elizabeth Berkley Lauren, Nico Hiraga, and Anne Heche. 

 Jennie, a rapper-singer for the K-pop group Blackpink, will also star in the series.

Levinson, Tesfaye, Fahim, Epstein, Ashley Levinson, Kevin Turen, Bron Studios’ Aaron L. Gilbert executive produce. Mary Laws will write and co-exec produce. 

The Weeknd’s manager Wassim “SAL” Slaiby and creative director La Mar C. Taylor also will co-exec produce. 

The Weeknd created the series along with his producing partner, Reza Fahim, and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson. 

In April, the project underwent a creative overhaul with director Amy Seimetz and actress Suzanna Son exiting.