The Weeknd has announced that he is working on new music in a recent interview with Hollywood Reporter. When asked about his current musical endeavors, the 32-year-old hitmaker stated, “I’ve definitely been inspired. I’ve been in the studio.” The interview was posted on Monday, January 9th.

The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of his album “Dawn FM” by releasing a new music video for the track “Is There Someone Else?” on January 7th. 

Though the artist did not provide any further information about his upcoming project, he did discuss in the interview the inspiration behind “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength)”, the Oscar-shortlisted theme song he wrote for James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water. Tesfaye opened up about how the Avatar franchise has served as a source of inspiration for him ever since he saw the first film in 2009, during a period in his life which he refers to as “the darkest time of my life” when he was homeless.

“The most enjoyable aspect of composing the song was receiving feedback from James and ensuring that the lyrics and melody aligned with the film’s themes,” the artist shared with the publication. “I rewrote the song several times to ensure it was flawless.”

The singer of “Blinding Lights” also briefly mentioned the potential nomination of the song for an Academy Award, expressing that he feels “honored” by the recognition. In the past, Tesfaye had expressed his displeasure with another prominent awards show, the Grammys, and boycotted it since his highly successful album “After Hours” was not recognized in 2020.

However, according to the musician, the Oscars “definitely feel different” than the Recording Academy. “I’m simply grateful,” he continued, referring to the fact that he won a Grammy for his contribution to Kanye West’s “Hurricane” in 2022, after his boycott. “I am thankful for any kind of recognition and I am excited to be part of the conversation.”