Tomorrow is here. Abel Tesfaye has released the long-awaited album, Hurry Up Tomorrow with the intent to finalize the story of his persona, “The Weeknd.” As fans dive into the album, they circle the patent question, “What is Hurry Up Tomorrow, and what does it reveal?”
Hurry Up Tomorrow is heavily inspired by Tesfaye’s near career-ending tragedy: his So-Fi Stadium concert. Tesfaye’s most recent tour–having over 60 sold-out shows around the world–nearly ended in him losing his voice completely, leading him into a gut-wrenching existential crisis. Recently, on Jan. 10, Tesfaye went on an interview with “Variety,” explaining the aftermath of So-Fi Stadium.
“I had to go out there and face it,” he stated. “And also, so they could see, ‘I can’t physically give you the show that you paid for.’ When I watched the video later, the reaction wasn’t that bad. But in my head, all I heard was booing and screaming and hate and anger. That’s how defeated I felt.”
Now, questions from longing fans have been floating around since the album’s initial announcement, “How does Hurry Up Tomorrow connect to The Weeknd personally?” The answer is simple. Hurry Up Tomorrow is Tesfaye’s closing statement to his music career as The Weeknd. Within this album, there are personal details added to truly connect.
“Wake Me Up” is the first track on the album, revealing itself as one the most prominent and sensitive tracks on the album. Several lines float around the song, despite The Weeknd constantly returning to the idea of him being asleep, begging for someone to wake him up. Undeniably, Tesfaye has perfected the concept of having an attention-grabbing first song for his album. “Wake Me Up” forms from a slow-paced track into a more upbeat tone before transitioning into the second track on the album, “Cry For Me.”
“This sleep is so paralyzing
Wake me up, ‘cause I’m dreaming
It feels so real”
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” is filled with tracks that rebel against the idea of Tesfaye having a smooth recovery, despite the major loss of his voice during the tour. During track eight of “Reflections Laughing,” Tesfaye reveals that he might’ve been taking illegal substances to get over the tragic loss of his voice.
In the middle of the song, a phone ends up ringing, with the voice of a woman being heard, ultimately stating that Tesfaye most likely has gone back into his old ways, traveling down a dark path once more. She refers to him as “the old you,” hinting to years ago when Tesfaye was an addict and involved dangerously in an unfit lifestyle. Despite the background behind “Reflections Laughing,” Houston sensation Travis Scott adds a phenomenal touch to the song, offering another creative track from the two artists.
“Reflections lookin’ back at me
They’re smilin’, they’re smilin’
I’m trapped inside a gilded cage
A golden blade I’m sharpening”
Taking a step back from Hurry Up Tomorrow, most people involved with music know that The Weeknd powered through the music industry for a while, always being recognized and awarded for his soul-touching voice. When Tesfaye ended up losing the only thing that upheld him the most–he shattered. “My voice has always been my secret weapon,” he says to Variety. “[it’s] my superpower to get through whatever I need to get through. And in that moment, reality hit: everything can change after this moment.”
The Weeknd’s new album extensively explores the hidden gray area of losing his “superpower.” Throughout the complete album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, one thing is truly made certain: The Weeknd refused to lose such a gift, using his recovery as a drive to carry out a highly produced album.
The title song closes out the album, disclosing itself as a career-ending piece for “The Weeknd.” Tesfaye speaks about his mother, and how he failed certain things within his life, searching for a larger answer. Although the title song, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” has a rigorous tone, the bittersweetness reveals itself towards the end. Tesfaye closes the album with him showing off his recovery, his voice, and his improvement since the beginning of his career. Tesfaye brings his career as The Weeknd into full circle, as the last track evenly transitions into his first-ever song released under the persona, The Weeknd. “High For This” is the first track on The Weeknd’s career debuting mixtape, House of Balloons.
“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”
Fans will throw themselves in a never-ending spiral searching for the answer of what “tomorrow” is, and what it may reveal. The melancholy truth is that The Weeknd might not know the answer himself. Hurry Up Tomorrow shared plenty of rough secrets, revealing the heartbreaking truth of the lifestyle as a musician with a star-studded talented voice. Vulnerability plays a major role within this album, with The Weeknd putting himself on stage hundreds of times despite certain.
Tesfaye finishes his journey as The Weeknd, yearning for the future and questioning what the next steps of his career look like. “But I just want to know what comes after,” Tesfaye concludes. “I want to know what tomorrow looks like.”
