Rating: 8.5/10
In 2023, Abel Tesfaye, also known as The Weeknd, told W Magazine he wanted to “kill The Weeknd.” Less than two years later, his newest album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” does all that and more.
Less of a funeral and more of a transitionary project, “Hurry Up Tomorrow” ends the iconic red-blazer-wearing character’s story in “After Hours” and sees the emcee gradually switch into Tesfaye, his true self, while hinting at why he drops the character.
Building on the world created in Tesfaye’s previous two albums, his sixth studio album is his longest yet, at 22 tracks and a runtime of 84 minutes. Yet, it doesn’t overstay its welcome, as Tesfaye presents a riveting ’80s synth-pop soundscape without overdoing it.
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The intro track, “Wake Me Up (feat. Justice),” encapsulates the sound and theme of the work.
“All I have is my legacy … No afterlife, no other side/ I’m all alone when it fades to black,” Tesfaye sings in the first verse, instilling a sense of finality just 20 seconds in.
Tesfaye follows with, “Play smile, live fully/ When life is hard/ I know death’s easy,” showing his character’s desire to live life to the fullest with death right around the corner.
It’s a cinematic opening — ethereal vocals reign over deep synths and strings, forming a holistic sound you could hear in a cathedral.
Suddenly, drums kick in, and the beat becomes a sample of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” The church-like song seamlessly becomes a dance track, and The Weeknd’s character lightens up, “living fully.”
Done dismissing the Michael Jackson comparisons, The Weeknd welcomes the listener to his last hoorah with a track divided between grim existentialism and hedonism — a representative sample of what’s to come.
Yet, the hedonism is eventually set aside, as it’s the primary reason for Tesfaye killing off the character. Uncovered in a 2021 interview with GQ, the character of The Weeknd is different from the person Tesfaye believes himself to be. To him, the character is a monster.
“It’s become very clear that (Tesfaye) is someone I go home to every night,” Tesfaye said. “And The Weeknd is someone I go to work as.”
Tesfaye also said he’d have to put himself in a dark space to create music as The Weeknd, often recalling his past addictions and homelessness.
But now, Tesfaye is moving on. He’s too old for the chaotic lifestyle of his persona and perceives his voice going out at SoFi stadium as a sign to part with the iconic character. He mentions it multiple times throughout “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” even giving the moment its own interlude, “I Can’t F—ing Sing.”
Tesfaye aligned himself with The Weeknd, but he’s full of regret now — resonant all throughout the album.
“Reflections Laughing (feat. Travis Scott, Florence + The Machine)” is all about this regret, as Tesfaye symbolically sees his past self laughing at him, taunting him while he’s “trapped inside a gilded cage,” a place that seems attractive yet constraining.
Because of regret, stress from his celebrity status and touring, Tesfaye kills The Weeknd in “Baptized In Fear,” a beautiful, slow-paced R&B track. The character drowns in his bathtub after overdosing on ketamine.
“Water fill my lungs, vision blurry/ Heartbeat slower, heartbeat slower, heartbeat slower,” he sings.
After “Baptized In Fear,” the storyline of the “Hurry Up Tomorrow” can be a little confusing. The Weeknd dies in the aforementioned track, but his soul sticks around until later in the album in “The Abyss (feat. Lana Del Rey).”
In all fairness, this confusion shouldn’t frustrate listeners. If you’re not caught up with his science-fiction-like storyline throughout the prior two albums, “After Hours” and “Dawn FM,” this should simply be an enjoyable synth-pop album and nothing more.
However, The Weeknd gives die-hard fans another cryptic album riddled with religious symbolism.
In “The Abyss,” Tesfaye gives his character a beautiful sendoff, almost painting a picture in that he watches the character drop into a black hole and has a conversation with him during the process. Furthermore, he shows concern for the future after abandoning the character.
A little over the top, but that shouldn’t surprise those familiar with the rollout of “After Hours” and its puzzling public appearances.
“I tried my best to not let you go,” Tesfaye sings. “I don’t like the view/ From halfway down/ Just promise me that it won’t be slow/ Will I feel the impact of the ground?”
While the writing is at the forefront, the true attraction of “The Abyss” is its gorgeous production. An ascending and descending piano leads the production until a beat switch at the halfway point turns the song into an 808s-led pop track.
As a cherry on top, Lana Del Rey makes an appearance in the final minute of the song.
Tesfaye ends the album with not one but two final ballads, “Without a Warning” and “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” The common themes between the two are anxiety about a future without the hitmaking persona and a sense of regret that The Weeknd even existed at first.
Using these themes, Tesfaye ends the album reconciling with God.
“I hope my confession is enough/ So I see heaven after life,” Tesfaye sings in the title track.
A confession — that’s what “Hurry Up Tomorrow” is. Throughout the 22 tracks, Tesfaye shows resentment toward his past self, regret for his actions and a desire to change. As a result, he sacrifices the alter ego that brought him to the very top of the music industry.
The story of “Hurry Up Tomorrow” is a lot to process, but it’s rewarding if you really dive into the lyrics. If not, it’s still enjoyable pop music and relatively similar to his record-breaking album, “After Hours.”
As the synth king Mike Dean makes his return to Tesfaye’s discography, the production is top tier, even featuring Metro Boomin, Justice and Giorgio Moroder. Tracks like “Wake Me Up,” “Cry For Me,” “Baptized In Fear” and “Take Me Back To LA” will get the listener moving, whether or not they’re attentive to the lyrics.
Travis Scott, Future and Lana Del Rey are all at their peak throughout the tracklist, making positive additions to the work.
While “Hurry Up Tomorrow” may not be the most digestible, it is a beautiful tribute to The Weeknd and his iconic discography, as well as an excellent conclusion of a monumental trilogy for modern pop music.
While its songs may not eternally top the charts like the hits from “After Hours,” “Hurry Up Tomorrow” is at the same level of quality as Tesfaye’s prior two albums, if not better.
