The Weeknd, Playboi Carti & Madonna – Popular Lyrics

“Popular” is a song by The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, and Madonna released as a single for The Idol Vol. 1 Soundtrack. The song explores the theme of desperately wanting to be popular, echoing the plot of the series The Idol, in which Abel stars. This marks the first collaboration between the three artists, who are each known for making distinctively different styles of music.

In a post by producer Metro Boomin announcing his sophomore studio album, keen-eyed fans noticed a song titled “Popular” on a whiteboard, where Metro wrote “Need Abel.”

On May 23, 2023, XO Records co-founder La Mar C. Taylor shared a snippet of the song being played at the Cannes Film Festival as The Idol cast took to the red carpet.

Despite his generally elusive nature and tendency to not clear features, Carti briefly returned to Instagram for the first time since his December 2022 arrest to post a screenshot of himself in a FaceTime call with The Weeknd, generating anticipation for the collaboration. Similarly, The Weeknd also posted numerous tweets promoting the collaboration.

On May 30, 2023, Metro Boomin confirmed the song’s title via Twitter and that it was intended to release that same week as his album, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Soundtrack).

On May 20, 2023, The Weeknd posted a photo of Madonna from the “Like a Prayer” music video to Instagram. In an Instagram post and story on May 31, 2023, The Weeknd confirmed Madonna’s presence on the song.

Popular Lyrics by The Weeknd, Playboi Carti & Madonna

[Intro: Madonna & The Weeknd]
I’ve seen the devil
Down Sunset, in every place, in every face
Yeah, uh, uh
Yeah, uh, uh

[Verse 1: The Weeknd]
Tell me, do you see her? (Yeah) She’s livin’ her life (Uh)
Even if she acts like she don’t want the limelight (Uh, yeah, uh, uh)
But if you knew her (Yeah, uh), she lives a lie
She calls the paparazzi, then she acts surprised, oh

[Pre-Chorus: The Weeknd]
Oh, I know what she needs (Oh)
She just want the fame, I know what she fiеnds (Oh)
Give her a little tastе, runnin’ back to me (Oh)
Put it in her veins, pray her soul to keep, ooh, ooh
Every night (Every night, uh), she prays to the sky
Flashin’ lights is all she ever wants to see

[Chorus: The Weeknd]
Beggin’ on her knees to be popular
That’s her dream, to be popular (Hey)
Kill anyone to be popular
Sell her soul to be popular
Popular, just to be popular (Oh)
Everybody scream ’cause she popular (Hey)
She mainstream ’cause she popular
Never be free ’cause she popular

[Post-Chorus: Playboi Carti & The Weeknd]
Money on top of me, money on top of her (Uh)
Money on top of me, money on top of her (Uh)
Yeah, shawty fuck with me ’cause she know I’m popular (Uh)
Yeah, shawty fuck with me ’cause she know I’m popular

[Verse 2: Madonna & The Weeknd]
I know that you see me (Oh), time’s gone by
Spent my whole life runnin’ from your flashin’ lights
Try to own it (Uh), but I’m alright (Yeah)
You can’t take my soul without a fuckin’ fight (Uh, oh)

[Pre-Chorus: The Weeknd, The Weeknd & Madonna]
Oh, I know what she needs (Oh)
She just want the fame, I know what she fiends (Oh)
Give her a little taste, runnin’ back to me (Oh)
Put it in her veins, pray her soul to keep, ooh, ooh
Every night (Every night), she prays to the sky (Oh)
Flashin’ lights is all she ever wants to see

[Chorus: The Weeknd & Madonna, The Weeknd]
Beggin’ on her knees to be popular (Uh)
That’s her dream, to be popular (Hey)
Kill anyone to be popular
Sell her soul to be popular
Popular, just to be popular (Uh)
Everybody scream ’cause she popular (Hey)
She mainstream ’cause she popular
Never be free ’cause she popular
[Post-Chorus: Playboi Carti & The Weeknd]
Money on top of me, money on top of her (Uh)
Money on top of me, money on top of her (Uh)
Yeah, shawty fuck with me ’cause she know I’m popular (Uh)
Yeah, shawty fuck with me ’cause she know I’m popular (Uh)
Money on top of me, money on top of her (Uh)
Money on top of me, money on top of her (Uh)
Yeah, shawty fuck with me ’cause she know I’m popular (Uh)
Yeah, shawty fuck with me ’cause she know I’m popular

[Bridge: Playboi Carti, The Weeknd & Madonna]
I’m gettin’ money and I’m keepin’ it
I’m gettin’ cash and I’m keepin’ it
Money on top of me, money on top of her
Yeah, shawty fuck with me ’cause she know I’m popular
Pop-popular, born to be popular
She in debt, twenty mill’, but she run it up
She can never be broke ’cause she popular
Turn the webcam on for the followers (Hahahaha)

[Chorus: The Weeknd & Madonna, The Weeknd]
Beggin’ on her knees to be popular
That’s her dream, to be popular (Hey)
Kill anyone to be popular
Sell her soul to be popular
Popular, just to be popular (Uh)
Everybody scream ’cause she popular (Hey)
She mainstream ’cause she popular
Never be free ’cause she popular