From “Can’t Feel My Face” in 2015 to “Blinding Lights” in 2019, The Weeknd has released hit after hit and amassed 119.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify. On Jan. 31, The Weeknd released his new album “Hurry Up Tomorrow” featuring two pre-release singles “Timeless” and “São Paulo.” Consisting of 22 tracks and an 85-minute run time, “Hurry Up Tomorrow” features soul, techno, and R&B songs with a multitude of featured artists.
The opening track, “Wake Me Up” featuring Justice, begins the album with a synth-pop song inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” this song comments on authenticity within love and is intended to be the central song of the “Hurry Up Tomorrow” film project.
Following the love theme is the second track “Cry For Me,” where The Weeknd sings about a breakup and “hoping you cry for me like I cry for you.” This despair is also seen in track 19, “The Abyss” featuring Lana Del Rey, as he tries to continue his relationship as the world falls apart. This also touches on the feelings of letting go of what once was and succumbing to sadness.
However, this is where the sad side of love starts to end for The Weeknd, as “São Paulo” featuring Brazilian pop star Anitta is about the rush of and addiction to love.
A second recurring theme is that of dealing with fame and self-identity as in the pre-release single “Timeless” featuring Playboi Carti. This song went viral on TikTok with lipsync TikTokers in Oct. 2024 as well as editors due to different remixes of this song.
The Weeknd touches on insecurity through the 6-minute, R&B track “Given Up On Me” where he begs the listener to let go of him but also to save him. At about three minutes, the track switches to a ballad showcasing his heavy vocals found in other tracks.
In track 15, “Take Me Back To LA,” The Weeknd uses an upbeat synth sound to share his finding assurance with what he wants but also his sadness and nostalgia for his past. Though finding his wants, The Weeknd is still self-conscious about who he is especially alone.
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” is rumored to be The Weeknd’s last album, and so, this album deals with the theme of death and the end, specifically coming to terms with it.
In “Baptized In Fear,” he sings of the times when he has come close to death and trying to escape it as he slowly dies. The slow melody is coupled with heavy-hitting beats acting somewhat as a heartbeat consistently beating until speeding up to transition to “Open Hearts.”
“Open Hearts” is “Baptized In Fear’s” twin. Acting as the faster, pop song with the same theme as the first. However, “Open Hearts” sings of love and how his love keeps him alive despite losing his will before.
The final song on the album shares the same title: “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” A 5-minute ballad accepting the end and his sins. This song acts as his confession for his lies, pain, and issues he has sung about previously.
He references “Baptized In Fear” as he drowns in the bathtub instead of trying to escape. However, this time there are no voices telling him to carry on. This is his final chapter, working towards and accepting heaven in the end.
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” is the final chapter in his trilogy and the final goodbye to his persona as he deals with self-identity and death.
