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The Weeknd has been a busy, busy man. Ever since the release of his chart-shredding album After Hours (2020), he has released multiple collaborations and remixes of the songs on the album, starred in an HBO series called "The Idol" and even headlined the Super Bowl halftime show with an iconic, intricate performance.
And now, after months of sly teasers and interview mentions, The Weeknd dropped a minute-long teaser for the album on his Instagram, revealing that it will be released on January 7.
"A New Sonic Universe From The Mind Of The Weeknd"
The teaser's visuals feature more of The Weeknd's trademark high-concept, futuristic vibe, which he cultivated through his last album. Now, The Weeknd rapidly ages and de-ages through the teaser, as he is carried to a stage and a spotlight falls on him.
We hear synth-laden crooning, which is also a staple for The Weeknd, as it is something he helped usher into the mainstream from R&B. The teaser touts the album as "A New Sonic Universe From The Mind Of The Weeknd".
In his own words, "If the last album was the after hours of the night, then the dawn is coming."
The teaser also mentions the star-studded lineup of featured artists, including jazz icon Quincy Jones, new-age hip-hopper Tyler The Creator, rap veteran Lil Wayne and longtime collaborator Onethotrix Point Never.
The biggest (and the most pleasant) surprise is the inclusion of fellow Canadian and friend Jim Carrey, who we presume might get up to some shenanigans in a music video.
The Lead-up to the release
The Weeknd posted cryptic Instagram photos over the weekend.
On Saturday, he posted a screenshot of his conversation with his creative director La Mar Taylor, sans caption:
And on Sunday, he posted:
Actually, The Weeknd has been dropping cheeky hints since last May, prompting fans to comment things like "this is not an album date Bel" on every social media post the artist makes.
Their patience has paid out, and the date is finally here.
The teaser ends with a radio DJ voiceover saying "You are now listening to 103.5 Dawn FM", and if the artist's previous work is anything to go by, we're going to be tuning into a delight.
