Hell seemingly froze over when The Weeknd took the stage that night. Last we checked, he was done with The Grammys, after 2020’s After Hours failed to score a single nod. That prompted the Ethiopian-born Canadian to never again submit his work for award consideration, citing the lack of transparency and balance in the nomination process. That was then, apparently. And what a difference four years make. 

Just moments before that plot twist of a number, the Recording Academy’s CEO, Harvey Mason, Jr., spoke about the reforms that took place since. He started by saying that he not just heard the criticism, but also empathized. After which, he proceeded to the specifics. The 13,000 voting populace now constitutes of an additional 3,000 female members and 40% people of color. Overall, it was an assurance of a more diverse and balanced roster. And then, as he closed his bit, came the big surprise. 

You can say there’s more to the jaw-dropping return than that implied compromise. Clearly, The Weeknd had something to promote. And that, he did. Just two days prior to awards night, he released his sixth studio album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow”, from which he lifted the songs he performed: “Cry For Me” and his collaboration with Playboi Carti, “Timeless”  

The album is third in a trilogy, which began with the snubbed After Hours, followed by 2022’s Dawn FM. It’s purportedly his last album before retiring his iconic stage name. Presumably, from here on in, he’ll be using his birth name, Abel Tesfaye. Unless, of course, he thinks of another fancy moniker. Therefore, this doesn’t just signal the end of the trilogy. It could very well be the end of an era. And he sure is very eager to jump into the next. FYI, the title is not a reference to procrastination. He’s not saving the hurrying for tomorrow, he wants “tomorrow” to “hurry up”. 

The album has been described as Tesfaye’s return to form, and at points, even a career retrospective (understandably). The track “Enjoy the Show”, featuring Future, even cheekily opens a line with “I Can’t Feel My Face” while maintaining the slow jam. The rest of the 84-minute hodgepodge is a showcase of R&B, synth-pop, and some Brazilian funk thrown in for good measure.  

The funky opener, “Wake Me Up”, which features Justice, does exactly that with its pulsating beats and Thriller samples, before seamlessly transitioning to the latest single, which he performed at the Grammys.

The party continues with the electrifying “São Paulo”, which was clearly inspired by his recent show in the titular city and features a guest turn by Brazilian pop sensation, Anitta.  Bookended by two intermissions, it’s actually the last straightforward dance track, as things subsequently take a contemplative turn. 

Soul-searching is always a long walk in the woods. That much is made clear by the succeeding cuts, whether he’s narrating sleepless nights in“Baptized in Fear” or reeling from heartbreak with “Open Hearts”, the last upbeat track but still a long way to go. The theme lingers with “Opening Night”, where the singer tries to salvage a rocky union, and “Reflections Laughing”, where he pines for a lost love. There, the unlikely combo of Travis Scott and Florence + the Machine join the jam. 

The self-reflection only gets deeper here on in, with the singer yearning for the post-storm calm in “I Can’t Wait To Get There”, where he channels Maxwell, and looking back on his life with “Timeless”, the first single. It’s easy to take “Niagara Falls” as an ode to Ontario birth place, but lo and behold, it’s another take on heartbreak. While the painful “Take Me Back to LA” depicts him missing calmer times, which is timely, given the recent fires. 

Even by the final act, the guests keep coming in. Giorgio Moroder shows up in the decidedly non-party “Big Sleep”, while Lana del Rey lends her morose stylings in “The Abyss”, where Tesfaye ventures into morbid territory. Much as the penultimate tracks like “Give Me Mercy”, “Red Terror”, and “Without a Warning” sound like filler, they’re vital to the overall message, as they depict the singer seeing the light. 

It’s been theorized that the recent trilogy was a parallel to a spiritual ascend, with After Hours being Hell (not just because they put him through that in 2021), Dawn FM being Purgatory, and this latest opus being Paradise. It’s not far-fetched, given how this one tackles heartbreak, redemption, mortality, and rebirth. The title track, which closes the album, more than explicitly adheres with the chorus “I want Heaven when I die/I wanna change/I want the pain no more, hey”. 

Given how, according to fans, this track sonically mirrors the opener of his 2011 debut mixtape, “House of Balloons”, it’s a brilliant bookend, especially now that Tesfaye is pondering on his next phase. We’re not entirely sure where he’ll take us next. Maybe he’ll prolong the masquerade; maybe he’ll start a new one. Or maybe, he’ll finally choose to showcase his inner core. What’s certain is that every chapter is due an end. And regardless of the amount of time left, the trick is to savor the present.