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The Weeknd has started work on the follow up to ‘After Hours’ and says he’s been inspired by the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests.
Speaking to tmrw magazine, Abel Tesfaye also said events over 2020 have made him more “inspired and creative” during the pandemic.
“I have been more inspired and creative during the pandemic than I might normally be on the road,” he said.
“The pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and the tensions of the [US] election have mostly created a sense of gratitude for what I have and closeness with the people near me.”
The singer also said that ‘After Hours’ was some of his best work in the last decade.
He added: “I feel like I spent the last 10 years creating a sound and most of my career I’ve either been running away from it or duplicating it. ‘After Hours’ was the perfect piece of art for me to show my tenure in the industry.”
That comes after many noted the absence of ‘After Hours’ – which arrived back in February – from this year’s Grammy nominations.
Reacting to the snub late last month, The Weeknd tweeted that the Grammys “remain corrupt”, adding, “You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency.”
It was a distinctly different outcome than the recent American Music Awards, where Tesfaye walked away with three trophies, including Favourite Male Artist, Favourite Album and Favourite Song in the Soul/R&B categories.
Earlier this month, the singer shared a new remix of his ‘After Hours’ hit ‘Blinding Lights’ featuring Rosalía.
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