5 takeaways from the Weeknd’s new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow

The Weeknd’s new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, has lastly arrived, marking an finish to his present After Hours and Daybreak FM album trilogy and, doubtlessly, his stage identify.

That includes an array of collaborations with singers and producers together with Stomach, Metro Boomin, Lana Del Rey, Justice, Florence & the Machine, Travis Scott, Future and extra, the undertaking explores themes of heartbreak, fame, religion, isolation and loss.

Followers might be ready hear the songs stay on the just lately introduced 2025 After Hours Til Daybreak tour, which kicks off in Might.

CBC Music has gone by the 22-song album to search out a few of its most noteworthy moments. From a David Lynch credit score to a Home of Balloons connection, study extra in regards to the file’s influences and Easter eggs beneath.

1. He pays homage to Michael Jackson

The album’s opening observe, “Wake Me Up,” seemingly interpolates Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” a nod to how Jackson has lengthy served as an inspiration for the Weeknd. He has spoken about Jackson’s affect on his artistry in numerous interviews: “I wish to make it very clear that I am not making an attempt to be Michael. He is every thing to me, so you are going to hear it in my music,” he informed the Los Angeles Instances in 2016. “Off the Wall was the album that impressed me to sing.”

In 2023, when the Weeknd broke Jackson’s file for the highest-grossing tour by a Black artist, he paid tribute to his idol.

2. He spotlights the affect of Giorgio Moroder and traditional movie scores 

The very very first thing you hear on “Wake Me Up” is a pattern of the principle theme from Scarface by legendary composer Giorgio Moroder. These haunting synths are literally a remix of the piece that Moroder did for the Weeknd again in 2017. The Weeknd has at all times been a longtime admirer of Moroder, who’s thought of to be the godfather of recent dance music, and you’ll hear that affect clearly on Weeknd tracks akin to “Blinding Lights” and “Take My Breath.” On Hurry Up Tomorrow, the 2 lastly formally collaborate on not one, however three tracks, with Moroder additionally co-producing “Huge Sleep,” which options an extrapolation of the theme from his Midnight Specific rating, in addition to “And not using a Warning.”

“I am thrilled to proceed bridging the hole with Abel between the previous and the longer term, creating one thing timeless but progressive,” Moroder informed Selection of working with the Weeknd, a.okay.a. Abel Tesfaye. 

In one other nod to traditional movie scores, the Weeknd additionally interpolates the late David Lynch’s “In Heaven (Girl within the Radiator Track)” from the movie Eraserhead on the title observe. Lynch has lengthy been a giant affect on the Weeknd’s music, with the singer referencing Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks in his work (Laura Palmer’s scream in “The Hills” is without doubt one of the most notable examples). When Lynch died on Jan. 15, the Weeknd posted a tribute to the director on Instagram with the caption, “every thing is ok…,” straight nodding to the music that is interpolated in “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” 

3. He displays on a scary, real-life second behind ‘I Cannot F–king Sing’

The 12-second observe/skit “I Cannot F–king Sing” highlights a 2022 low level for the Weeknd: the famous person misplaced his voice and ended his L.A. live performance at SoFi Stadium early after he was unable to proceed singing. Over anxiety-inducing instrumentals, the Weeknd sounds panicked as he states, “No, it is my f–king voice, OK?”

Earlier this 12 months, he informed Selection that he was “defeated on the world stage” when it occurred.

“My physique, and particularly my voice, had by no means failed me earlier than,” he stated.

In an interview with W, he revealed that enjoying Tedros, the creepy character on his since-cancelled present, The Idol, might have contributed to the short-term voice loss. “My principle is that I forgot the right way to sing as a result of I used to be enjoying Tedros, a personality who would not know the right way to sing,” he defined. 

“I could also be wanting too deeply into this, but it surely was terrifying,” he continued. “Because the Weeknd, I’ve by no means skipped a live performance. I’ve carried out with the flu. I will die on that stage. However there was one thing very difficult occurring with my thoughts at that second.”

He ultimately rescheduled the SoFi exhibits, and went on to file them for his first stay album, Dwell at SoFi Stadium, which was launched in 2023. An accompanying live performance movie was additionally launched, and acquired two prime-time Emmy nominations: one for excellent lighting design/lighting path for a spread particular and one other for excellent technical path and camerawork for a particular.

4. ‘Take Me Again to LA’ has a charitable connection

Within the wake of the L.A. wildfires, the Weeknd pushed again the discharge of Hurry Up Tomorrow and cancelled his live performance at Hollywood’s Rose Bowl. “This metropolis has at all times been a profound supply of inspiration for me, and my ideas are with everybody impacted throughout this troublesome time,” he shared on X. “In gentle of this, I’ve additionally determined to push the discharge of my album to January thirty first. My focus stays on supporting the restoration of those communities and aiding its unbelievable individuals as they rebuild.”

He donated $1 million to fireside reduction efforts, and the album’s observe “Take Me Again to LA” continues this charitable thread: proceeds from the music will help the L.A. Regional Meals Financial institution, which is offering meals to victims of the wildfires.

5. There is a full-circle closing second

In a pleasant Easter egg to Day 1 followers, the closing notes of the album completely sync as much as “Excessive For This,” the primary observe on the Weeknd’s first mixtape, Home of Balloons. The total-circle second is a touching technique to shut out what Tesfaye has stated might be his remaining album beneath the Weeknd identify.