The Weeknd teases politically charged follow-up to After Hours: "I've been inspired and creative during the pandemic"

Seemingly hot on the heels of the blockbuster Blinding Lights, Abel Tesfaye has hinted his new material has been inspired by the political ructions in the US this year.

The Weeknd has been teasing the release of a politically charged follow-up to his blockbuster 2020 release After Hours.

You can never keep a good pop star down and it seems Abel Tesfaye is no different after he's hinted that new music could be on the way after he found quarantine to be a very creative time, with new material apparently inspired by the spate of Black Lives Matter protests in the US this year after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

Speaking to tmrw magazine, the superstar revealed he's been more "inspired and creative" during the pandemic since he's had more downtime due to the postponing of his worldwide tour in support of his fourth LP.

"I have been more inspired and creative during the pandemic than I might normally be on the road," he explained.

"The pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and the tensions of the election have mostly created a sense of gratitude for what I have and closeness with the people near me."

Any new material from The Weeknd, though, will have a lot to live up to. After Hours became his second album to hit Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart - and it also birthed one of 2020's biggest hits too.

Blinding Lights, produced by Swedish mastermind Max Martin, became The Weeknd's first UK Number 1 single this year, where it topped the charts for a massive 8 non-consecutive weeks, becoming the longest-running Number 1 single of the year in the process.