"Hurry Up Tomorrow" - The Weeknd album review

Over three years after “Dawn FM”, The Weeknd released what has been said to be his last album, at least under his stage name.

Changing his name back to Abel Tesfaye, it seems like this album may truly be his last, as the opening lyrics on the album are “All I have is my legacy … I’m all alone when it fades to black.”

This album is the conclusion to a second trilogy, with “After Hours” and “Dawn FM” with signature synth production led by producer Mike Dean.

This trilogy takes you through a journey of self-hatred and discovery, regret and loneliness and now finally, healing.

With “Dawn FM” ending with a poem by Jim Carrey, a song talking about regrets and being stuck in the middle of nowhere, “Hurry Up Tomorrow” seems to be The Weeknd, or in this case, Tesfaye, coming to terms with his regret and looking for redemption.

There are seamless transitions throughout the entire album, making you question when one song ends and another begins.

This album is filled from top to bottom with references to his previous albums and songs, another sign that this may be the end of Tesfaye’s musical career.

The song “Cry for Me” is a direct response to “Save Your Tears” and “Take Me Back to LA” is a reference to “Escape from LA”, both from the “After Hours” album.

The song “Baptized in Fear” revisits the theme of death from his last album, and even has references to the advice from “Phantom Regret”, the poem from Jim Carrey that ends “Dawn FM”.

You can feel the Michael Jackson and Prince influence throughout this entire project, two of Tesfaye’s biggest idols. The 80s-style beats and flow follow a similar style to his last few albums, dating back to “Starboy” in 2016.

Tesfaye showcases his versatility as well on the beats used, sampling everything from “Scarface” to “Wild is the Wind” by Nina Simone in 1959, and even the song “Hurry up Tomorrow” by the Nu’rons from 2016.

While Playboi Carti and Anitta were already confirmed as collaborators thanks to the early single releases, Tesfaye shocked listeners with features from the likes of Travis Scott, Future and Lana Del Rey.

In another testament to The Weeknd truly closing this chapter of his life and career, the final song on the album “Hurry Up Tomorrow” ends with mirroring notes to the very first song released by the Canadian pop star, “High for This”, signaling a full circle moment for him and his audience.

It’s uncertain whether or not this is the final album in his illustrious career, or perhaps the start of a new chapter for Tesfaye, one that is a more honest version of himself than The Weeknd ever was.

If it was the final chapter of his music career, it was a beautiful signal to redemption, coming to terms with the past demons that have haunted him throughout his life, and working towards being free.

Reviewer’s Favorite Songs – “Wake Me Up”, “Baptized in Fear”, “Open Hearts”, “Niagara Falls”, “Big Sleep,” “The Abyss”

Reviewer’s Least Favorite Song – “Given Up On Me”

Rating: 9.5/10

Joshua Bartosik is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jsb6137@psu.edu.