The Weeknd explores death and loss in his new album ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow.’ (Courtesy of Republic Records)

Since 2009, singer-songwriter Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, professionally known as The Weeknd, has released multiple noteworthy albums. Many of his songs, such as “Blinding Lights,” “Save Your Tears” and “Starboy” have seen revisions in fame through spotlight on social media platforms, reaching new audiences and adding to his popularity. On Jan. 31, 2025, he released his sixth studio album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow.”

“Wake Me Up” opens the album with an eerie tone, bringing the listener in through its suspension build-up and existential lyrics about authenticity and reality. Listeners can hear samples of the intro to “Main Title” by Giorgio Moroder from the “Scarface” album and tones similar to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

“No afterlife, no other side / I’m all alone when it fades to black / When life is hard
I know death’s easy / Are you real (Are you real?), or are you an illusion? / ‘Cause I fear your love’s my delusion,” The Weeknd sings.

Despite its head nodding melody, “Baptized in Fear” tells the story of being paralyzed in a feeling of fear and panic, capturing the vulnerability of being afraid. The Weeknd builds visualization of being consumed by anxiety through detailed lyrics of his senses, metaphorically comparing them to drowning in a bathtub.

“Couldn’t scream for help, I just slowly felt the pressure hit / All thе times I dodged death, this can’t be the way it ends, no / Figure in the corner laughing at me (At me) / Water fill my lungs, vision blurry / Heartbeat slower, heartbeat slower, heartbeat slower,” The Weeknd sings.

“Open Hearts” is another song on the album that incorporates a personal aspect. Listeners can relate to The Weeknd’s worries about starting again when searching for love and the difficulties of being vulnerable after being hurt significantly in the past.

“Trapped inside a limbo, watching through a window of my soul / Suffering, I’ve been low, then I seen your halo / Where do I start / When I open my heart? / It’s never easy falling in love again / Cover my scars / When I open my arms / It’s never еasy falling in love again,” The Weeknd sings.

Unlike many of his other songs, “Enjoy The Show” uses a soft R&B melody to speak about the feelings of withdrawal after heartbreak, comparing love to addiction, drugs and bad habits. The song features popular rapper and singer-songwriter Future, who sings with The Weeknd about falling back into bad habits, bitterness and even death.

“You pick me up when I’m low / I’m not violent to my body anymore / I don’t wanna give you any space anymore / I don’t wanna feel like I’m alone anymore / I can’t live without you, I’ve been goin’ through withdrawals / You’re my favorite drug, you’re my favorite drug,” The Weeknd sings.

“Hurry Up Tomorrow” concludes The Weeknd’s After Hours trilogy, which includes his 2020 album “After Hours,” 2022 album “Dawn FM” and now “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” Proceeds from the featured song “Take Me Back to LA” will be donated to help those affected by the LA wildfires. This album once again establishes The Weeknd as a powerful singer-songwriter whose lyrics touch the hearts of the masses through their messages of death, loss and gain.