After much anticipation, The Weeknd’s new album “Hurry Up Tomorrow” launched on all streaming platforms on Jan. 31 of this year. Though recently released, the album already holds a huge significance for the world-renowned artist.
The Weeknd is one of the biggest musical artists of this generation. The singer-songwriter has been active for more than a decade and has found international recognition for his music. He was the first artist on Spotify to gain 100 million monthly listeners and was dubbed the “most popular artist” by the official Guinness World Records. The Canadian singer, given name Abel Tesfaye, has been making music under the alias “The Weekend” for 14 years. Tesfaye officially announced that he is renouncing his stage name and “Hurry Up Tomorrow” will be the last album released by “The Weeknd.” What does this truly mean for The Weeknd and his listeners?
An interesting aspect about Tesfaye’s career trajectory is not only his commercial success, but his lifestyle and personal choices. Stories that revolve around the concept of “rags to riches” are very popular in the music industry, and The Weeknd is no exception. The singer was in constant struggle in Toronto where he dealt with homelessness, violence, and substance abuse. This environment put Tesfaye in a troubled mindset where he found music and creation as his outlet.
His trials and tribulations are exhibited in his earlier work. These early mixtapes and albums are important in regard to their impact on the R&B genre and music culture. Many listeners can infer Tesfaye’s feelings of unhappiness, loneliness, and thoughts of feeling stuck in his then present.
His new album “Hurry Up Tomorrow” is a musically solid work that does a great job at concluding Tesfaye’s personal growth. The album contains a selection of samples, features, and vocals. The final production contains synth and seamless transitions, creating an ascending feeling to listeners. The album is cohesive and full.
The narrative of this album differs from his previous works. While he stays true to his brand, parts seem to be more mature and developed. His articulation of toxic behaviors has reduced as he shows regret for his past. The Weeknd’s last project also has a somber theme as it expresses closing sentiments. During the tracks, especially the last song, he alludes goodbyes as The Weeknd, cementing the end of an era. The album also ends his current trilogy of albums, “After Hours” and “Dawn FM” being the predecessors.
His earlier work revolves around suppressing emotions and a decaying lifestyle as he struggles with emotional intimacy. Throughout his albums we see the storyline transition as he goes through life and enters stardom. His music gets surprisingly vulnerable. The Weeknd’s views and habits fluctuate through his career as his personal life reflects this. While trying to stay true to his original aesthetic, he came to the realization that whether he could help it or not he has become someone entirely different.
With the release of six studio albums and three mixtapes, the overall tone differs drastically as each one reflects where Tesfaye found himself in life. As The Weeknd removed past struggles such as poverty, it introduced new hardships into Tesfaye’s life. As Tesfaye changed immensely as a person, he wants his music and art to reflect this change too. With the goal of discarding this persona, he has decided to be referred to as his given name, Abel Tesfaye, instead. The Weeknd is to be treated as a character, not an individual. It is a bittersweet event as it’s a goodbye to the character who’s been a pivotal name in music for more than a decade.
With seven number-one hits, a headlined Super Bowl show, a headlined Coachella set, 22 Billboard Music Awards, and numerous other accomplishments and rewards, it is possible music doesn’t have anything else to offer the superstar. Yet this predicament is only for The Weeknd; on the other hand, Abel Tesfaye has much more to offer. The stage name started as an alias that’s tribute to his struggles and now reflects a certain lifestyle and the qualities that come with it.
With his new album, Tesfaye sheds the identity of The Weeknd with a final farewell. It is a grand conclusion to the story of a troubled Toronto native to a global pop star who shaped a genre of music, changing the musical climate of the present. While this is a significant event in modern day music, it doesn’t mean this is the last we will hear from Tesfaye. He may still release music or embark on other creative works. The only difference is that he will be credited with his real name, and audiences will hear nothing from The Weeknd again.
His work started to become interconnected with elements of cinema and performing as a character separate from himself. He started to distance himself from The Weeknd creating the character. He put a lot of thought and detail into his look and seemed to focus on making performance art.
While “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” is a melancholy goodbye to The Weeknd, it also prepares for the debut of Abel Tesfaye and all the future projects associated with the name, which can include new music or anything that the artist wants to pursue.