Damon Albarn plans to release a new Gorillaz album this year.
The Blur frontman has been working on ‘The Magic Flute II, La Malediction’, his electonic opera sequel to Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’, but he is planning to switch his attention to his animated band and the follow up to 2023’s ‘Cracker Island’.
Speaking to France’s Les Inrockuptibles magazine about his plans, Damon said: “I’m finishing a new Gorillaz album. One opera and one new Gorillaz album seems like enough for 2025! Unless someone accuses me of taking my foot off the gas!”
Instagram fan account @everythingorillaz claimed to have received “confirmation” about the record from Gorillaz co-founder Jamie Hewlett.
It shared a comment supposedly from the artist which featured a thumbs up emoji and read: “Yes, the new album is coming out this year.”
The post was captioned: “Ok, here’s the big news! I got confirmation from Jamie the album is coming this year, and also Damon told in a recent interview (French Podcasts Nova) he’s finishing the album in 6 weeks! Excited?”
And Damon is also hoping to release an album of the songs from his opera.
He told Les Inrockuptibles of the project: “I’m extremely excited. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. I’m starting rehearsals in a few weeks and I’m really going to hear if it works or not. I’ve seen bits and pieces so far, but now I’m going to have the final project, the full musical ensemble.
“Everything is written, ready to be performed. I don’t think it will be like anything you’ve heard before. I can guarantee the audience a completely new experience.”
Asked if he’ll release an album based on the opera, he added: “I hope so. The version we’re going to present is really a first draft. It’s not a work in progress, because it’s so much more than that. But it’s definitely for curious people! I’m super excited to be honest with you.”
But one project not in the pipeline for Damon, 57, is a biopic.
Asked about the possibility, he said: “I’m not interested in that at all. I don’t find that kind of film interesting.
“I’m not interested in a film about Bob Dylan. It’s empty. I love Timothée Chalamet, but I don’t want to see that film. I don’t want to see a made-up film about someone.
“I can enjoy watching people pretend to be other people, but when it comes to musicians… it makes me angry.
“That’s not to say there haven’t been good biopics… I like the one about Joy Division [‘Control’], for example. I also like ‘Ray’.”