On his surprise release EP, My Dear Melancholy, The Weeknd shows his more vulnerable side as he explores the pains of heartbreak. The album, while on the shorter side with a total runtime of 21 minutes, features six songs each of which turn the listener’s attention to a different side of Abel Tesfaye- a side of raw emotion.
In the song “Call Out My Name,” sad synthesizers and lyrics such as “I said I didn’t feel nothing baby/ But I lied/ I almost cut a piece of myself for your life” have listeners questioning whether or not The Weeknd is referencing his ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez, who was reportedly hanging out with Justin Bieber days after their split. *The Weeknd’s new EP My Dear Melancholy was released on Spotify on March 30, 2018.
While we can leave the relationship drama between them, musically the album is well made and features collaborations with the artist Gesaffelstein on the songs “I Was Never There” and “Hurt You.” All six songs star slow and blue-sounding synthesizers in the background, as well as more experimental sounds like sirens and static noises as he layers his dark and high lyrics. This EP resembles a lot of the Weeknd’s first projects on his album Trilogy, which was released back in 2012, and the trance-like nature of My Dear Melancholy leaves listeners remembering some of Abel’s earlier tracks such as “Wicked Games,” and the recurring down tempos of the piece. *The Weeknd’s new works have fans remembering the similar vibes one of his first projects, Trilogy, brought listeners.
With what you may imagine listening to in a dark, smoke filled room, the Weeknd will send you into your feels through his artistic use of beats, experimental noise, and heartfelt lyrics, and may leave you feeling reminiscent about times you’ve recovered from heartaches in your own life.
*all photos courtesy of myself