Travis Scott is riding high after starring in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. La Flame’s winning streak continued on Wednesday (July 22) when he graced the cover of Variety, which saw him dish on a multitude of topics, including his anticipated forthcoming album and first-look deal with Paramount Pictures.
“I’m here to conquer who I am as an artist. In these side quests — these cool things I like to do — I never lose sight of the main goal. I’m still trying to do every stadium in the United States and the world,” Scott said, shedding light into his mindset as he heads into his next record, which will be his first since 2023’s Utopia. “I’m working on an album right now, and that’s f–king amazing. And I’m constantly pushing myself to push the sonics to try to make something that I haven’t made before.”
As far as his musical influences at the moment, La Flame revealed he’s been listening to a mix of Parliament, Oasis, Van Halen, Don Toliver, Raphael Saadiq and Daft Punk.
“I need to double down on trying to make something that can reach the person that’s all the way back in the bowl, so how do I reach them like the person that’s right next to me,” he continued. “So that’s what I’m on — trying to elevate the show to a more theater aspect. Stay tuned on how that’s going to happen. Utopia was supposed to be a play. I want to try to bring back true experiences before they try to take them all down and make everything digital.”
The 35-year-old’s Utopia topped the Billboard 200 in 2023 with 496,000 total album-equivalent units earned in the first week, according to Luminate. The project was nominated for best rap album at the 2024 Grammy Awards, but lost to Killer Mike’s Michael.
Scott has long been open about his goals to capture a Grammy, which has eluded him thus far after 10 nominations. Perhaps an Oscar could come first, with the Houston native teaming up with James Blake and Ludwig Göransson for “When I’m Home,” which landed on The Odyssey soundtrack and plays during the film’s ending credits.
“I still need a Grammy, but I would love to take home an Oscar. That’d be cool,” he told Variety. “I like to set goals, and I just want to achieve them. I noticed the people that get them always have that like, ‘It doesn’t matter.’ To me, the award represents something, and to achieve that would be amazing.”
On the Academy Award quest, Scott discussed his company Cactus Jack signing a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures. “I want to bring back amazing films, pictures and just creative good ideas,” the rapper told the publication. “And [Paramount’s] not scared to make good ideas.”
The first look deal with Paramount will allow La Flame to develop projects in film, television, theater and live-entertainment spaces.
“Creativity emanates from every pore of his body,” Paramount Pictures co-chair Josh Greenstein, who Variety reports bonded with Scott over their appreciation for The Warriors, told the magazine. “From the way he dresses to the cars to the music to his taste in film.”
Watch Travis Scott go into detail with Variety about his past hits and The Odyssey below.