January 31, Canadian singer-songwriter Abel Tesfaye, professionally known as The Weeknd, released his sixth studio album: “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” though the announcement was released September 2024. This album contains diverse song and production choices, blending each song together smoothly. The broad variety of musical artists helps to create a deeply meaningful album of self-exploration.
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” contains 22 songs and sits at just around 85 minutes. When listened to chronologically, the album’s songs flow together, enhancing the cinematic listening experience. This album does not present anything particularly new from the Weeknd but rather sticks to the classic style that Tesfaye has mastered — incorporating elements of Rest &Beats, rap, pop and new wave.
“I was really interested in this album, I would say it blessed my ears. I like The Weeknd so I was really into it when I first heard it and I have been waiting for it to come out for a while. It’s something you can tango to. Also, it really got me into the mood to dance and the transitions between the songs are perfect. I rate this album a ten out of ten by my standards,” magnet sophomore Ashley Hendershot said.
This album features a wide range of musical artists such as Lana Del Rey on “The Abyss,” who collaborated with the Weeknd in his previous album Starboy. Rey, also known for her moody and melancholy music, significantly adds to the overall vibe of The Weeknd’s style, providing excellent harmony. “Hurry Up Tomorrow” also features Justice on “Wake Me Up,” Anitta on “Sao Paulo,” Future on “Enjoy the Show” and Giorgio Moroder on “Big Sleep.” Additionally, Tesafaye uses samples of Micheal Jackson’s “Thriller” in the song “Wake Me Up” and at least a fourth of the songs on the album share their names with popular retro movies.
“The new album was so crazy because it had so many features. I did not expect Metro to be on it or for the album to have that many collaborations at all. I think it was great all the way through, and there was not a single song that I would skip. I would rate this album an eight out of ten because I made a lot of new additions to my favorite songs on Spotify that came from this album,” magnet sophomore Airabella Brown said.
After the album’s release, Tesfaye announced the meaning behind the album. The theme behind the album reveals a journey through loneliness, self-hatred and regret that eventually leads to self-acceptance and self-love. This album represents an escape from depression which leads to a freeing feeling. The first song, “Wake Me Up” represents a conversation between God and the artist, in which the artist questions the realness of the entity. The album ends with the song “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” in which the Weeknd calls out for a savior, pleading for forgiveness and his mother.
The Weeknd plans to release a short feature film on this album: a psychological thriller that will star the musical artist along with Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan. The movie will tell the story of an insomniac musician who meets a peculiar stranger, leading the musician through a story that challenges everything the musician knows. This showcases the similarities of the themes behind the album and the upcoming movie, both of which focus on a trippy journey of self. This film, co-written and directed by Trey Edward Shults for Lionsgate, will hit theatres May 16.
The Chant’s rating: A
