This past summer, Blur’s comeback album, The Ballad of Darren, was released, marking their first new music in eight years. It’s only been a few months, but frontman Damon Albarn is ready to step away again.

“It is time to wrap up this campaign,” Albarn told the French publication Les Inrockuptibles. “It’s too much for me. It was the right thing to do and an immense honor to play these songs again, spend time with these guys, make an album, blah-blah-blah… I’m not saying I won’t do it again, it was a beautiful success, but I’m not dwelling on the past.”

Instead, he plans to work on an “opera which will be presented in Paris next year”. He also confirmed that he’ll be traveling to India with bandmate Jamie Hewlett “to start working on a new Gorillaz album”. “Once you’ve tackled an opera, everything else seems easier,” he said.

Gorillaz released their new album Cracker Island in February. It is nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 2024 Grammy Awards.