Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, released his final album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” on Jan. 31, 2025. This album concludes his latest trilogy, which includes “After Hours” and “Dawn FM.” This will be his last work as The Weeknd. However, he will continue to make music under his birth name.
The album sets the stage very well with “Wake Me Up.” This track reminds the listener of his experience in purgatory during his album “Dawn FM.” He sings “All I have is my legacy / I’ve been losing my memory / No afterlife, no other side / I’m all alone when it fades to black.”
This passage is a surprising moment of weakness from The Weeknd, and it establishes the theme that will be apparent throughout the album: He is self-reflecting and trying to separate himself from his life of evil.
The next song, “Cry For Me,” is an upbeat song that reflects on his toxic side. In this track, he discusses how he copes with substance abuse and is drained from being on tour. He also mentions how he longs for an emotional connection with someone. This is one of the best songs on the album, and due to the rap-esque style he adopts, it reminds me of his older album, “Starboy.”
The next four songs, “Sao Paolo,” “Baptized In Fear,” “Open Hearts” and “Reflections Laughing,” continue the theme of reflection on his past relationships and drug abuse. If I were to pick must-listens for this album, it would be these four. These songs are amazing, and each carries a different vibe. For example, “Sao Paulo” is a Brazilian funk song, which is a first for The Weeknd.
“Reflections Laughing” is my personal favorite from this album. This song is very dark and is about how he suffers from anxiety alongside isolation due to his fame and how this led to him furthering his destructive lifestyle. The song is interrupted by a voicemail from what seems to be his partner, which leads into a feature from Travis Scott and a complete feel switch. Scott’s voice is pitched down to symbolize The Weeknd’s formerly destructive lifestyle and how he is confronting it to keep his memory of who he is.
Some other high points on this album are “Niagara Falls,” “Timeless,” “Take Me Back To LA,” “Red Terror” and “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” All of them continue to progress the storyline of the album,” with some even adopting different perspectives on his life.
Overall, I think this album is amazing. The Weeknd used his incredible songwriting skills and impeccable production quality to create a grand finale for his career as The Weeknd. I believe that “Hurry Up Tomorrow” will be a very strong contender for Album of the Year, and will most certainly go down as one of the best in The Weeknd’s discography.
