LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye has joined forces with Playboi Carti and Madonna for the first time to produce his new raunchy track for HBO’s upcoming miniseries ‘The Idol’. Starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, the six-episode series, which is set to air on Sunday, June 4, portrays the story of a pop star who falls for a cult-leading nightclub owner.
The glittery, upbeat song, entitled ‘Popular’, follows the release of the series’ first track 'Double Fantasy', featuring Future. “I’m proud of it. I’m proud of it,” Tesfaye said during his appearance on Zane Lowe’s 'New Music Daily' for Apple Music 1, according to Deadline. “I and Carti had this… 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,” the 33-year-old pop star continued.
'She is the ultimate pop star'
The Weeknd, who portrays a cunning Svengali named Tedros in the mini-series, said he always had dreams of writing and co-producing a Madonna album. “So this can be… Hopefully, this is the appetizer for that,” he said, adding that audience can expect to “hear more of her in the show as well… She is the ultimate pop star.” Keeping up with Abel’s previous shimmery tracks, the song features wrathful lyrics about a woman who is so obsessed with fame that she will "sell her soul" and "kill anyone" to get it. 'I've seen the devil down Sunset, in every place, in every face,' Madonna, 64, says in a mesmeric, low voice during the intro.
The Weeknd then offers to "give her a little taste" of fame, which sends her "runnin' back to me. Put it in her veins, pray for her soul to keep. Beggin' on her knees to be popular / That's her dream, to be popular / Popular, just to be popular / Everybody screams 'cause she popular / She is mainstream 'cause she popular / Never be free 'cause she popular,” the song chorus says. "I know that you see me, time's gone by. Spend my whole life runnin' from your flashin' lights," the Queen Of Pop then croons.
'A Pornhub homepage odyssey'
'The Idol' sparked a media frenzy last month when it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, just before its season premiere this Sunday. It received a five-minute standing ovation at Cannes, but it also elicited a barrage of critical vitriol. The second episode was branded "sexist, pseudo-porn" by Gregory Ellwood of The Playlist while the New York Times' Kyle Buchanan dismissed the show as "a Pornhub-homepage odyssey" starring "Lily-Rose Depp’s areolas." Meanwhile, The Wrap dubbed it "luxury sleaze,” according to Daily Mail. The Weeknd co-created 'The Idol' with former nightlife entrepreneur Reza Fahim as well as Sam Levinson, the writer behind 'Euphoria'.
