The Weeknd finally released his long-awaited album Dawn FM, on January 7. After a month of circulation on the internet, fans and critics have gathered that this new album appears to be his “light at the end of the tunnel.” At a whopping 52 minutes, The Weeknd claims this album is the turn around from dark times articulated in his After Hours album.
The Backstory
Not only does the album consist of a range of song pace and an 80’s yet futuristic tone, it also contains a story. The Weeknd’s previous album, After Hours, written amidst the pandemic is an album expressing the harsh reality of a celebrity within the toxicity of Los Angeles. He includes songs about mental health issues and constant struggles of fame and heartbreak. Then The Weeknd introduces Dawn FM, a continuation of this story, however, this part represents the celebrity in a purgatory state in between life and death. He creates the feeling of this stage through Dawn FM by turning it into a “radio station.” This is a symbolic way of showing the journey between life and death.
Honest Opinion
Once listening to the whole album, I must say it might be one of my favorites he’s created so far. The cover of an old version of himself, almost emanates the 80’s feel the album expresses. The 80’s theme of smooth R&B and Soul takes after his greatest inspiration, Prince. Though it is heavily inspired by that time period, The Weeknd does an exquisite job incorporating modern twists in the album such as adding futuristic undertones in songs.
Compared to his somber inspiration for his last album, Dawn FM generates a more upbeat and playful energy in songs like “How Do I Make You Love Me?” and “Sacrifice.” On the other hand, the album also becomes a bit more calm with songs like “Is There Someone Else?” and “Starry Eyes.” The emotional shift he establishes through his songs personally grabs my interest. I often find albums where each of the songs sound so similar tend to lose my interest, whereas The Weeknd does an amazing job changing the pace and beat of his songs. Throughout the album The Weeknd switches from an almost dance-based style to a smoother R&B or Soul style. My current favorites on the album have to be “Here We go… Again (feat. Tyler the Creator),” “Is there Someone Else?,” “I Heard You’re Married (feat. Lil Wayne),” and “Less Than Zero.”
Overall, the storyline between The Weeknd’s album, which may or may not be continuing, shows the talent he possess. Other than his lyrical abilities, his technical and vocal ability is what really attracted listeners, including me. Now the only question remaining in the storyline of After Hours and Dawn FM is what happens after his “metaphoric death”?