Los Angeles, Dec 31 (IANS): Singer The Weeknd says his next album will be inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and Covid-19 pandemic.

In an interview with TMRW, the singer, whose After Hours tour was postponed due to the pandemic, shared what to expect in his new album, reports billboard.com.

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

"I was laser focused back then and I'm laser focused right now. This has been the story of my 20s. I feel like I spent the last 10 years creating a sound and most of my career, I've either been running away from it or duplicating it. After Hours was the perfect piece of art for me to show my tenure in the industry," he added.

Talking about his musical journey, he said: "My natural singing voice was inspired and shaped by Ethiopian music. The older I got, I was exposed to more music, and my voice became a chameleon going into different characters with each album. By following my own path and breaking industry norms, it seems to be influencing others."