June 4, 2020
By Rafaella Paes
Staff Writer
The Weeknd, also known as Abel Tesfaye, is a 30-year-old artist from Toronto, Canada. He is the face of R&B and has slowly become one of the music industry’s top leading alternative performers.
Life moved a little slow after The Weeknd’s 2016 album “Starboy.” Although the album excelled in every way possible, people started getting tired of the songs that were constantly being replayed on the radio and only really listened to The Weeknd when he was featured in popular songs by other artists.
Four years later, The Weeknd has done something unexpected. On Feb 13, he announced that he was dropping a new album. He announced that it would be released in March but kept the actual date confidential.
After much anticipation among fans, The Weeknd’s fourth studio album, which is called “After Hours,” finally dropped on March 20.
Unfortunately, this album does not reflect The Weeknd’s amazing songwriting skills. It was a complete 180 from his third studio album “Starboy,” as that album, which was released in 2016, included songs about heartbreak and personal challenges. “After Hours,” in contrast, is disingenuous and there seems to be no emotion behind it.
The poor quality of this album is unexpected because it’s not like The Weeknd hasn’t been through any recent heartbreak to provide him with inspiration. He broke up with his on again off again girlfriend Bella Hadid yet again late last year. Therefore, everyone was expecting Tesfaye’s raw feelings to appear in this album, but all listeners got was a party boy persona.
Thankfully, there were some songs on the album that reflected the old Weeknd. Songs like “Heartless” and “Blinding Lights” both showcase a little of the emotion everyone was expecting. As a whole, however, the album lacked the strong thematic development for which The Weeknd is known.
It seems that The Weeknd’s intention in “After Hours” was to showcase his new, mysterious persona. However, these efforts failed. For instance, in the music video for “Blinding Lights,” he is featured with a bloodied bandage on his nose. It just comes off as corny.
Overall, the album is too mainstream, and it could be argued that The Weeknd didn’t even write it, as it sounds like an entirely new person. His attempt to be enigmatic failed and only made it seem as though he was trying too hard.
If The Weeknd had come out with an album that reeked of happiness, maybe he would have been better off because it is interesting to see someone’s perspective on life change.
“Heartless” was one of the songs released before the rest of the album, and fans were ecstatic to hear The Weeknd sing again. The song showcased all of his strengths. The rhythm was beautiful and reflected so much emotion. It had all the qualities of an amazing song, with the beat being calm yet energetic at the same time.
This is what his fans were expecting of The Weeknd’s entire album. They know him for his signature feeling of sadness and pessimism.
If The Weeknd had come out with an album that reeked of happiness, maybe he would have been better off because it is interesting to see someone’s perspective on life change. It would also be especially welcomed since it had been four years since anyone heard from him. However, this version of a cool, tough guy just doesn’t sit well.
The first song on the album is “Alone Again.” This track is essentially about romantic desolation. The Weeknd sings, “I don’t know if I can be alone again/I don’t know if I can sleep alone again,” but the song lacks the originality and uniqueness for which The Weeknd is known.
A terribly written song on the album is “Faith.” Metro Boomin, who is featured in the song, essentially saves it by keeping the beat alive and allowing listeners to really feel the song.
Though the vocals are amazing, the lyrics are disappointing. The Weeknd sings, “I thought I’d be a better man, but I lied to you and me.” The song is such a letdown compared to the tracks that helped The Weeknd burst into the music industry.
By far the most interesting song on the album is “Snowchild.” It tells the story of The Weeknd’s childhood. He reminisces about his rise from money-hungry wannabe to rich benefactor. He addresses the prevalence of drugs in his hometown city of Toronto, singing, “Taking care of families for my brothers that are locked up.”
“Snowchild” is fascinating, to say the least, but it is so random. He talks about Coachella, Tribeca, mansions, Mercedes and pools. The beat is catchy and calm, but it’s just one of those songs one would want to get out of their heads but just can’t.
“Blinding Lights” is quite honestly the only good thing to come out of this album and contradict every other track on the album. In this amazing song, The Weeknd sings, “I said, ooh, I’m blinded by the lights/ No, I can’t sleep until I feel your touch.” The song is romantic, upbeat and very catchy.
However, as a whole, “After Hours” does not compare to “Starboy.” The Weeknd should certainly go back to his roots or try to write songs that have deeper meanings. To rise to the level of artistry he is known for, he must return to his signature vulnerability and authenticity.
The Weeknd is definitely one of the most talented singers in the music industry right now, but “After Hours,” unfortunately, falls flat.
