The Weeknd Named Starboy as Tribute to David Bowie (original) (raw)

Abel Tesfaye also reveals that he had plans to record with Prince at Paisley Park

Weeknd photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia, Bowie photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

The Weeknd’s new album Starboy is coming November 25 via Republic. In a new interview with The Wall Street Journal, Abel Tesfaye discussed the album’s creation and influences. After saying the album was influenced “a thousand percent” by the deaths of David Bowie and Prince, he revealed that the album’s title is an homage to Bowie’s “Starman.” “I just love Bowie, I think he’s the ultimate inventor,” Tesfaye said. He also revealed that he had scheduled time to work with Prince at his Paisley Park studio before the icon died in April.

Tesfaye also discussed working with Daft Punk on the new album. “The way they make music, the way they explain it, is very cinematic,” he said. “It’s like they’re reading a page out of a novel—‘We want to make sure that at the end, it feels like the sun’s coming up, and maybe there’s a car chase.’” He revealed that one other song featuring Daft Punk in addition to “Starboy” will appear on the upcoming album.

Read “The Dark Knight Returns: A Conversation With the Weeknd” and Pitchfork’s “Afterword” tribute to Bowie.

Evan Minsker is an editor, journalist, and critic who was a member of Pitchfork’s staff from 2012 to 2024. He wrote a garage punk column, co-ran the news section, and oversaw the website during nights and weekends. He was born and raised in Huntington, West Virginia.

Hot Links

A daily roundup of the most important stories in music, and a listening guide every Friday