Damon Albarn reveals plans for new Gorillaz album

Blur frontman Damon Albarn plans to release a new Gorillaz album in 2025.

Albarn has been working on The Magic Flute II, La Malediction, his electronic 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.

"I'm finishing a new Gorillaz album," Albarn told France's Les Inrockuptibles magazine about his plans.

"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 six weeks! Excited?"

Albarn also hopes to release an album of the songs from his opera.

"I'm extremely excited," he told Les Inrockuptibles of the project.

"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, said he hoped so.

"The version we're going to present is really a first draft," he said.

"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."

One project not in the pipeline for Albarn, 57, is a biopic.

"I'm not interested in that at all," he said, asked about the possibility.

"I don't find that kind of film interesting. I'm not interested in a film about Bob Dylan. It's empty.

"I love Timothee 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."