Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, gives his iconic persona an epic 84-minute finale in his sixth studio album ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow,’ the last chapter of his second trilogy and the conclusion to a heartbreaking story rooted in a longing desire for peace.
‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ – The Weeknd
The Weeknd is no stranger to the spotlight, as he has been in the center of it for over a decade.
But when does being in the light start to withdrawal the light from within you? For The Weeknd, it seems to be something he has grappled with for years. Now, he is letting people in on the shadows that have lingered throughout his career and just how deep that darkness lies. But the big question presents itself, where does he go from here? At 22 tracks, Hurry Up Tomorrow starts to paint that picture and hint at what the future may hold – and it may not include the persona the world has come to know.
“All I have is my legacy,” The Weeknd sings as the opening line to the album in “Wake Me Up.” Complimented by a synthy haunting beat and vocal echoes, it feels as if the listener just got pushed down a rabbit hole into The Weeknd’s Wonderland. “Wake me up, come find me/ It feels like I’m dying,” the words jab along in a way that tickles the ear. Within seconds, the talented musician has trapped all who have dared to press play on their listening devices, and the only way out of the illusional world is to listen to the record fully through.
With the smoothest transition into “Cry for Me,” the sensation of euphoric chills run down one’s spine. Within just the two beginning tracks, utter captivation is in full force and realization that The Weeknd has made another powerful work of art already hits.
Girl, pick up your phone, I can’t believe it
I can feel my spirit slowly leaving
I can’t see myself and I’m not breathing (Ah)
I’m not breathing (I’m not breathing)
In “Cry for Me,” he addresses someone to pick up the phone within the first line. This move opens up a door into what seems to be the start to a long confession, rooted in the disguise of a love story. Additionally, that theme of death has followed from the first track into this one, making it a note worth to follow.
Going into the third track, “I Can’t F*ing Sing,” it is completely confirmed that this story is his personal story.
Although a quick 12 seconds, the intensity is immediately present. The song alludes to a show he had to cut short in Los Angeles due to losing his voice mid performance. “I saw my doctor the next day, and he said, ‘There’s nothing wrong with you — your [vocal cords] are inflamed, but nothing out of the ordinary,’” The Weeknd told Variety in an interview. “And that’s when we came to the realization that it was all up here,” he shared, pointing to his head. The Weeknd had put so much pressure on himself and the projects he was tackling at the time that it resulted in his worse fear happening.
But The Weeknd’s story isn’t the only thing he is drawing attention to within this record. With another clean transition, the beginning to “São Paulo (feat. Anitta)” begins. It is a completely different tone and style compared to what has been already introduced within the album up until this point, yet somehow it works and flows. This is one of many moments in Hurry Up Tomorrow where The Weeknd continues to progress his sound and production, something we have seen him do album after album.
With the follow-up of “Until We’re Skin & Bones,” a 22-second track of laser sounding techno, The Weeknd’s creativity begins to shine and the new era of sound he is presenting truly comes forth. It is a combination of what we have seen from him in prior albums with hints of new ideation, and it is through this mixed balance of past and present sounds moving in tandem with his story that truth and realness is brought to the surface.
This concept is brought to life on the sixth track of his sixth studio album, “Baptized in Fear.” By this point, listeners have an idea of what to sort of expect moving through the rest of the record. Additionally, if The Weeknd has done anything over the course of his career, it has been to make an intense yet emotional piece of work that keeps the listener intrigued but also gives them something to sit with a while after listening. With that being said, out of all the tracks within this record, it is no surprise “Baptized in Fear” ends up being the track that gives clarity and understanding to the project as a whole moving forward.
“Baptized in Fear” not only plays with elements from The Weeknd’s earlier days, but it is where the weight of the main themes, hope and forgiveness, begin to be felt and become a main priority.
I’ve been baptized in fear, my dear
I’ve been the chief of sin
Washing my soul within
I’ve been baptized in fear, my dear
Like Paul, I’m the chief of sin
Washing my soul within, oh
One could argue these lyrics are the actual start to his overall confession in Hurry Up Tomorrow. It is where he first admits he has been paralyzed by fear, he has sinned and he is trying to become a better person by starting with the cleaning of his soul.
By “Open Hearts,” it feels like we can see The Weeknd – entirely. This track brings in the ‘80s type of feel we have seen The Weeknd excel in prior to this album. It is the most upbeat track of the record and transports you right under a disco ball in the center of a dancefloor.
Where do I start
When I open my heart?
It’s never easy falling in love again
Cover my scars (Cover my scars)
When I open my arms (Open my arms)
It’s never easy falling in love again (Oh)
Although this song has a carefree and sparkling energy to it, the lyrics are the complete opposite, causing a paradox. It is as if The Weeknd is wanting to mimic the feeling of falling in love again after your heart has already been through the wringer. Happiness and excitement clashes with a panic that it may not be forever and there could be a possibility of hurting once more. As we move through the album though, we learn that The Weeknd has already been in such a state of hurt, so this feeling comes off more heightened and riskier than usual.
By the end of “Open Hearts,” it seems like The Weeknd is transitioning us into a new chapter of his story.
“Opening Night,” most likely hints at his return to music after his LA show. Within this part of the album, The Weeknd brings in artists such as Travis Scott and Florence + The Machine in “Reflections Laughing” and Future in “Enjoy The Show.” While “Reflections Laughing” takes on this sense of a warped reality, “Enjoy the Show” demonstrates the toxicity and toll fame could take.
I don’t wanna make it past thirty-four
And when the curtains call, I hope you mourn
But if you don’t, I hope you enjoy the f*in’ show
These hard-hitting lyrics, although addressed to a specific individual, give the indication of a much larger metaphor. It could pertain to what fame has done to him and instead of being addressed to a person, this message could actually be addressed to the world who has watched him throughout his career. Overall, both tracks are extremely vulnerable as they let listeners into the thought process The Weeknd was having at the time and where his head was at.
The next couple of tracks on the record take on a slower pace and mark complete defeat and exhaustion. In “Given Up on Me,” The Weeknd even literally says it, “I’ve given up on me.” But it ends with the line, “Oh Lord, don’t you give up on me.” This goes back to the theme of forgiveness, while he may have given up on himself, he prays someone out there hasn’t given on him. Through the possibility of one’s belief, there is still hope.
“I Can’t Wait To Get There,” “Timeless (feat. Playboi Carti),” and “Niagara Falls” all give more context to the overall story The Weeknd is telling, and even give tiny glances of more positive thoughts. But when we reach “Take Me Back To LA,” the energy shifts entirely to a more uplifting light. Again, using that night in LA as the focus point to his story, it feels like he now has the courage to tackle the city that “broke” him. It is time to face the fear head on.
This is only confirmed as “Big Sleep (feat. Giorgio Moroder)” and “Give Me Mercy” come up next in the record. “Big Sleep” is a metaphor for death and the song calls out the waste of time and lack of fight The Weeknd may have struggled with. But in “Give Me Mercy,” he completely confesses. He has a “conversation with the sky” where he admits, “Every time I lost my way, I lost my faith in you / Fightin’ my temptations, put my body through abuse/ Devil tricks with paradise / None of it is true, fighting for your light.” He is going to God directly and begging for that forgiveness. He is tired of hurting, he knows he has made mistakes, but he wants peace. He is ready for change.
Hoping that it’s worth all the bleeding
When I’m defeated
Give me mercy like you do
and forgive me like you do
Hope that you see me, when I’m depleted
Give me mercy like you do
and forgive me like you do
By “Drive,” we can see a glimpse of progress but still not complete satisfaction as he says, “Don’t ever think I’ll be this happy again. You’ll always be a part of me, just turn the key.” For the first time in this album, we are seeing him happy. But he doesn’t believe it will get better than that moment. He still believes his soul is not worth saving. So as “Drive” transitions into “The Abyss (feat. Lana Del Rey),” and The Weeknd describes him falling too far away, the official death of The Weeknd presents itself.
But instead of going to the afterlife, The Weeknd brings us to what seems to be a rebirth.
“Red Terror” and “Without a Warning,” bring us back to the beginning of his story, when he was a child. When The Weeknd was just Abel Tesfaye. So, as we reach the final track of this album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” The Weeknd may be dead, but Abel Tesfaye is just being born.
And I hope that I find what I’m looking for
I hope someone’s watching from up above
I’m done with the lies, I’m done with the loss
I hope my confession is enough
So I see Heaven after life
I want Heaven when I die
I want to change
I want the pain no more
It is within this track that we see the rawest The Weeknd has ever been within his music. This beautiful moving end to the record completes The Weeknd’s confession, and all he wants is a spot in Heaven, symbolizing everlasting peace. So for now, we say goodbye to The Weeknd.
And while the album may be complete, on May 16, 2025, Hurry Up Tomorrow hits theaters. Starring Abel Tesfaye, Jenna Ortega, and Barry Keoghan, the journey continues. You can view the trailer here.
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