With Damon Albarn confirming that a brand-new Gorillaz album is on the way in 2025 — and that it will feature four languages - fans have entered full speculation mode. Gorillaz have always thrived on unexpected partnerships: from old-school legends to future-facing stars, the band’s ever-expanding universe thrives on contrast, surprise, and chemistry.
So the question now is: who’s on the next guest list? Based on Albarn’s extensive track record, some informed guesses and a bit of wishful thinking are in order.
A Quick History of Gorillaz Collaborations
Since their 2001 debut, Gorillaz have set the gold standard for genre-mixing collabs. We’ve had:
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Hip hop icons like Del the Funky Homosapien, MF DOOM, De La Soul, Snoop Dogg, and Pusha T
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Soul and funk legends like Bobby Womack, Bootie Brown, and Stevie Nicks
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Pop royalty like Elton John, Carly Simon, and Grace Jones
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Experimental acts like Little Dragon, St. Vincent, Slowthai, and JPEGMAFIA
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Global stars like Bad Bunny, Ibrahim Ferrer, Fatoumata Diawara, and Zhu
Albarn has no borders linguistically, musically, or politically, and that’s what makes Gorillaz a living, breathing art project.
What We Know: Clues So Far
In recent interviews, Albarn revealed the next Gorillaz album will be sung in four languages, suggesting a truly international project. He’s also shared that he wants to work with artists from Palestine and Israel, and he’s been spotted in Paris for his opera The Magic Flute II.
Add in the fact that Albarn is politically engaged, musically restless, and very plugged into contemporary sounds and the possibilities for features grow vast.
Likely Collaborators
Let’s start with the most probable suspects based on Damon’s current and past collaborations:
1. Fatoumata Diawara
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Why? Albarn and Diawara have worked together in the past, both on Africa Express and on 2018’s Mali Music. She’s one of the strongest voices in African music today, and her ability to switch between languages and styles makes her a prime candidate for this project.
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Language: French / Bambara
2. Bad Bunny (again)
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Why? Their Cracker Island collaboration Tormenta was a standout — dreamy, woozy, and eerily beautiful. Albarn praised Bad Bunny’s work ethic and genre-bending style.
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Language: Spanish
3. Christine and the Queens (Redcar)
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Why? Albarn is currently working in Paris, and Christine’s theatrical pop would blend well with the Gorillaz aesthetic. They both lean into gender, identity, and emotion in unconventional ways.
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Language: French
4. Sevdaliza
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Why? The Iranian-Dutch singer makes haunting, politically charged electronic music. Her global identity and genre-defying sound make her a perfect fit.
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Language: Persian / English
Regional Collaborations Damon Has Hinted At
5. Israeli and Palestinian Artists
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Why? Albarn recently said he wants to work with musicians in Palestine and Israel during these turbulent times. He’s a firm believer in music as bridge-building.
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Who? Maybe DAM (the Palestinian hip-hop group), or Israeli singer-songwriter Noga Erez, who mixes electro-pop with biting political commentary.
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Language: Arabic / Hebrew
Potential Returnees
6. Little Simz
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Why? She and Albarn have worked together more than once, and their chemistry is undeniable. Her lyrical prowess would anchor the record, especially if there’s a conceptual or political narrative.
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Language: English (but with social commentary across borders)
7. Bootie Brown
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Why? He’s appeared on multiple Gorillaz tracks, including New Gold. Albarn seems to trust him as a lyrical narrator and grounding presence.
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Language: English
8. Thundercat
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Why? Their work on Cracker Island was funky, fun, and thematically rich. A reprise wouldn’t surprise anyone.
Wildcard Picks (But Not Impossible)
Let’s throw in some curveballs, the kind Gorillaz are famous for:
9. Rosalía
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Why? Albarn admires artists who defy genre boundaries. Rosalía’s flamenco-trap fusion and raw energy would electrify a Gorillaz track.
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Language: Spanish
10. Phoebe Bridgers
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Why? The indie star has a melancholic vocal style that would contrast beautifully with Albarn’s downbeat tone. Imagine her haunting a Gorillaz ballad like El Mañana or Melancholy Hill.
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Language: English
11. Ryuichi Sakamoto (posthumous tribute)
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Why? Albarn is known for honouring music legends. A sample, voice memo, or even AI-assisted tribute to the late Japanese composer could appear.
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Language: Japanese / instrumental
12. Tame Impala (Kevin Parker)
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Why? Their psychedelic tendencies are aligned, and Albarn has said he wants to "lose himself in the music again." Tame Impala’s production style fits that escapist vision.
The Visual Collaborators
Let’s not forget that Gorillaz is a visual band as much as a musical one. Jamie Hewlett is deeply involved, and with a multilingual, cross-cultural theme, we might also see input from global visual artists or animators possibly working from Europe, the Middle East, or Africa.
A collaboration with visual artists from Gaza, Tel Aviv, or Dakar wouldn’t be out of the question — especially given Albarn’s passion for global storytelling.
Final Word
Gorillaz have always been a sonic melting pot, a place where punk, hip-hop, electronica, and soul shake hands. With a new multilingual album on the horizon and Damon Albarn operating at full creative throttle, we’re likely to see a boundary-pushing record packed with unexpected voices.
From past favourites to bold new pairings and maybe a few political statements tucked between the synths, the next Gorillaz chapter is shaping up to be their most globally connected one yet.
