The Weeknd’s ‘Starboy’ is a David Bowie reference, and he was meant to work with Prince too

In a new interview, The Weeknd has revealed that his new album ‘Starboy’ is a nod to the OG Starman himself, David Bowie.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Abel Tesfaye admitted to his obsession with the dearly departed Bowie - “I just love Bowie, I think he’s the ultimate inventor,” he says. That’s not all, mind - Mr Weeknd was also scheduled to record with Prince at his Paisley Park studio, before the ‘Purple Rain’ star’s death in April.

The chat also saw him opening up on working with Daft Punk for ‘Starboy’. “Their studio is like a spaceship, there’s a lot of gear, but the way they make music, the way they explain it, is very cinematic,” he says. “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.’ They can get technical, but it was interesting how they visualise making music.”

The Weeknd’s new album ‘Starboy’ is out 25th November via XO / Republic. So far he’s shared the kinda alright title-track, and the frankly fucking nuts ‘False Alarm’ (and its even nuts-er video). He’s heading out on a frankly ludicrously massive world tour next year - dates below.

FEBRUARY
17 Stockholm, The Globe
19 Oslo, Spektrum
20 Copenhagen, Royal Arena
24 Amsterdam, Ziggo Dome
26 Zurich, Hallenstadion
28 Paris, AccorHotels Arena

MARCH
02 Cologne, Lanxess Arena
03 Antwerp, Sportpaleis
05 Manchester, Arena
07 London, O2 Arena
08 London, O2 Arena
10 Glasgow, SSE Hydro
11 Newcastle, Arena
13 Birmingham, Barclaycard Arena
14 Leeds, First Direct Arena

APRIL
25 Vancouver, Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
26 Seattle, Key Arena
28 San Jose, SAP Center
29 Los Angeles, The Forum

MAY
02 Phoenix, Talking Stick Resort Arena
04 Dallas, American Airlines Center
06 Houston, Toyota Center
09 New Orleans, Smoothie King Center
11 Ft. Lauderdale, BB&T Center
12 Tampa, Amalie Arena
13 Atlanta, Philips Arena
17 Charlotte, Spectrum Center
18 Washington, Verizon Center
19 Atlantic City, Boardwalk Hall
23 Rosemont, Allstate Arena
24 Detroit, Palace of Auburn Hills
26 Toronto, Air Canada Centre
28 Ottawa, Canadian Tire Centre
30 Montreal, Bell Centre
31 Quebec City, Videotron Centre

JUNE
02 Uncasville, Mohegan Sun
03 Nassau, Nassau Memorial Coliseum
04 Newark, Prudential Center
05 Brooklyn, Barclays Center
09 Cincinnati, US Bank Arena