Canadian pop R&B singer-songwriter Abel Tesfaye, famously known as The Weeknd, released his new studio album “Hurry Up Tomorrow” and even though there are some tracks that feel off, it is nothing short of a masterpiece. Released on Jan. 31, the synth-pop album suggests this might be the last project released under his moniker, The Weeknd.
Speculation of The Weeknd changing his stage name is no secret to fans, but this album has a dark turn to it, in theory wanting to kill his pop-star persona that he has created.
At the very start of the album, “Wake Me Up” featuring Justice, Tesfaye sings “All I have is my legacy / I’ve been losing my memory / No afterlife, no other side / I’m all alone when it fades to black,” which sets the tone for the rest of the project, touching on themes death.
“Wake Me Up” starts out slow, but as the song progresses the underlying beat of “Thriller” by Michael Jackson can be heard throughout the rest of the song. It gorgeously transitions into Tesfaye’s next song on the 84 minute project, “Cry For Me.”
Tesfaye dipped his toes into new waters and showed fans what else he has left in his hat. The song, “São Paulo” featuring Anitta, gives listeners a Brazilian funk vibe. Even though this song may not be his most popular off of the album, it increases the album’s energy. “Given Up On Me” also takes on a perspective not seen from the singer songwriter. With a jazzy introduction, the song explores the underlying themes of anxiety and depression.
Throughout the beginning of the song, Tesfaye asks himself, “Why won’t you let me go? / Why won’t you let me leave? / I’ve given up on me.” However, by the middle of the almost six minute track, it quickly slows down. Tesfaye begs his love interest to not give up on him, with this, he sings, “It’s not good for me.”
Even though these songs all differ from what fans are used to listening to, it all gives into the synthetic pop vibe that the album produces.
Most of the tracks on the project express raw emotion, seen by Tesfaye before, but never done to this extent. Two songs that hit the home base for this album were “Enjoy The Show” with a feature from Future. Tesfaye explicitly sings how he wants to die in this track, while, “Reflections Laughing,” the predecessor to “Enjoy The Show,” includes a voicemail halfway through the song from a woman who is worried about Tesfaye’s mental health.
Many fans know Tesfaye does not shy away from talking or singing about his mental health, but in this album, it feels as if he tries to directly tackle his issues he has been feeling from stardom.
Towards the end of the 22 track album, a wide array of R&B songs shine through. However, as mentioned before, some tracks just feel out of place on this album. “Timeless” with Playboi Carti is a good song, but it just does not feel correct to be in the same lineup as the other tracks. Same goes with “The Abyss” featuring indie-pop singer Lana Del Rey, which is not one of Tesfaye’s strongest tracks in his career, but one must appreciate Rey’s vocals, which add more depth to the song.
To finish out Tesfaye’s potentially last album under the name The Weeknd, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” sets the perfect ending to an album filled with rawness. This song is explained perfectly with the ending credits. He sings, “And I hope that I find what I’m looking for / I hope that he’s watching from up above.”
Despite wanting to press skip on some tracks, Tesfaye’s album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” concludes his work as The Weeknd perfectly. This project gives listeners a new taste of music from the 34-year-old singer, and fans will still be rummaging through his complex lyrics for a bit. The only way to fully grasp an understanding surrounding this album is to listen, unfortunately words fall short in explaining Tesfaye’s vulnerability throughout.
This album was also produced for the movie, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” which is set to release May 16, 2025. The Weeknd is also going on his “After Hours Til Dawn” stadium tour, starting May 9 in Phoenix, Ariz.
