The Weeknd enlisted Playboi Carti to help debut a new single just hours after revealing the cover art for his upcoming album.
During an epic concert at MorumBIS Stadium in São Paulo, Brazil, on Saturday (September 7), Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, performed a set that was live streamed on YouTube. The show featured a brand-new stage design and included several tracks from his forthcoming album, Hurry Up Tomorrow.
For one of these songs, The Weeknd brought out Playboi Carti, with whom he previously worked on the 2022 track “Popular.” Carti also performed his song “FE!N,” a collaboration with Travis Scott.
Earlier that day, The Weeknd had shared the cover art for Hurry Up Tomorrow on Instagram, where he had revealed the album’s title four days prior. The simple artwork features a close-up of his face, and he announced that pre-orders were available through a link in his bio. However, the official release date for the album remains unconfirmed.
It is still uncertain whether the new collaboration with Playboi Carti will be included on Hurry Up Tomorrow or on Carti’s highly anticipated upcoming album. Fans have been eagerly awaiting new music from Carti, whose last album, Whole Lotta Red, dropped in late 2020. His followers often remind him of this, as seen when the Orlando Magic’s official X (formerly Twitter) account playfully urged him to release the album after Carti posted photos of himself in a Penny Hardaway jersey.
In a recent Billboard cover story, Carti’s producer, Cardo, explained that they have developed a new sound for the upcoming project, calling it “burnt music.” Cardo, who has worked on tracks like Drake’s “God’s Plan” and Travis Scott’s “Goosebumps,” said this experimental sound is inspired by a variety of influences, including Three 6 Mafia, DJ Toomp, and even horror film director John Carpenter.
