The wait is almost over.
On Friday, The Weeknd will release “Dawn FM,” their fifth studio album and first full-length project since the 2020 blockbuster “After Hours.”
Earlier this week, the Toronto singer-songwriter shared a mysterious minute-long trailer, describing “Dawn FM” as “a new sonic universe” and sparking appearances from blockbuster Quincy Jones, rappers Tyler, The Creator, and Lil Wayne. , electronic music. artist and songwriter Oneohtrix Point Never (OPN) and … Jim Carrey (who turns out to be Weeknd’s real-life neighbor.)
Additional details have leaked throughout the week, including the bizarre album cover featuring a close-up of the artist’s digitally aged face, a detailed track listing, and more.
Here’s everything you need to know before the release of “Dawn FM”:
When can I listen?
The Weeknd will premiere “Dawn FM” on Friday at midnight. Listeners can tune in to a live broadcast on the Amazon Music app or on the Amazon Music Twitch channel.
What can we expect?
Based on the artwork, a couple of short teasers, and recent interviews, “Dawn FM” appears to be some kind of concept album, perhaps similar to “After Hours,” which employed psychedelic aesthetics to explore themes of hedonism and self-loathing.
In an interview with Billboard, the Weeknd described it as follows:
Imagine the album as if the listener were dead. And they are trapped in this state of purgatory, which I always imagined would be like being stuck in traffic waiting to reach the light at the end of the tunnel. And while you’re stuck in traffic, they have a radio station blaring in the car, with a radio host guiding you into the light and helping you pass to the other side. So it might look like a celebration, it might look bleak, however you want it to feel, but that’s what The Dawn is to me. “
The first single from the album, “Take my breath”, It came out in August. The synth-packed, radio-ready track doesn’t make much of a difference to the music on “After Hours,” nor do the short clips featured in the album’s teasers. However, fans should expect some surprises from the album’s wide range of musical guests.
The presence of Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer who has worked with Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, and many other artists, suggests posh pop music, while the presence of rappers Tyler, The Creator, and Lil Wayne suggests more hip-hop-oriented sounds. . .
Then there’s OPN, the alias for experimental producer and music composer Daniel Lopatin. The Weeknd and OPN have worked closely together over the years: OPN contributed to the production of “After Hours,” and Weeknd was listed as executive producer of OPN’s 2020 album “Magic Oneohtrix Point Never.” The Weeknd also appeared in the Safdie brothers film “uncut gems”, Marked by Lopatin. With OPN, fans can expect many unique vocal alterations and digital stunts.
As for Jim Carrey … we’ll have to see.
Bottom:
Born Abel Tesfaye in Toronto and raised in Scarborough, The Weeknd first appeared in 2011 with the release of the “House of Balloons” trilogy. The three mixtapes, marked by dark themes and sparse production, and carried by Tesfaye’s menacing charisma, were universally acclaimed, helped put Toronto R&B on the map and altered the trajectory of the genre for years to come.
Since then, The Weeknd has slowly drifted to the center, working with mainstream hitmakers like Max Martin, Frank Dukes, and Daft Punk to establish himself as one of the biggest names in popular music.
And while his decision to take a more radio-friendly approach to songwriting has alienated many of his early fans, The Weeknd’s sound occasionally returns to the gritty sounds and aesthetic of his early work, exploring similar themes of toxic love. and drug use.
The era “After Hours”
The Weeknd further reinvented their sound on their fourth studio album, “After Hours,” fusing their signature style with retro elements of new wave and dream pop. The album, which was released in March 2020, was a huge success, topped the Billboard 200 for four weeks and went double platinum.
The mega-hit “Blinding Lights” entered the Billboard Hot 100 on November 29, 2019 and stayed there until September 11, 2021, that’s 90 weeks. more than any song in the history of the list. The track also inspired three official remixes and a TikTok challenge.
Grammy controversy
In May 2020, The Weeknd did not receive a single Grammy nomination, despite the huge commercial success of “After Hours” and “Blinding Lights.” Variety called it the “biggest snub in Grammy history. “
In response, The Weeknd announced that it would boycott the awards in the future, citing the role of the anonymous expert committees that make up the Recording Academy’s voting membership. In a declaration He said, “Due to secret committees, I will no longer allow my label to send my music to the Grammys.”
Super Bowl halftime show
In February 2021, The Weeknd became the first Canadian to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. In line with the visual aesthetic of “After Hours,” the Weeknd (no guests) performed a series of hits that spanned his career Dressed in a crystal-covered red blazer, surrounded by creepy bandaged dancers, funhouse mirrors, and a Las Vegas-style cityscape.
Recent Singles
The Weeknd released a number of singles and collaborations in 2021, including a “Save your tearsremix with Ariana Grande.
In June, he collaborated with Doja Cat on the theme “You’re right. “
Last summer, he appeared alongside Catalan singer Rosalía in “La Fama,” an infectious bachata song sung entirely in Spanish. The song will appear on Rosalía’s next album, “Motomami.” The Weeknd and Rosalía previously collaborated on a Remix of “Luces ciegas”.
In December, The Weeknd teamed up with English singer-songwriter FKA Twigs for the heavy bass track “Tears In The Club.”
He also appeared on Aaliyah’s track “Poison“Which will appear on the upcoming posthumous album” Unstoppable. ” The album will also feature contributions from Drake, Chris Brown, and Future. Not everyone agrees with the project.
Looking forward
The Weeknd has a great year ahead of him.
In the summer, it will kick off the massive “Stadium Tour “After Hours Until Dawn”, which will travel across North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. The tour will likely include at least two nights in Toronto at the Scotiabank Arena.
Tesfaye also plans to make a leap to the big screen: she is currently working on an HBO series titled “The Idol.” According to Variety, will star in and co-write the series, which follows a pop singer who begins an affair with the enigmatic Los Angeles club owner who is the leader of a secret cult. The show is being created together with Reza Fahim and Sam Levinson.
Reference-www.thestar.com