The Weeknd: The Evolution of a Toxic Lover
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
- ⚠️ EPILEPSY WARNING at 21:50-21:57 and 26:05-26:10 ⚠️
In this video, I examine The Weeknd’s discography to better understand the recurring toxic themes/elements of his music. I go through his early days as an unknown artist releasing his mixtapes for free (House of Balloons, Thursday, Echoes of Silence), to his ascension towards mainstream superstardom (Kiss Land, Beauty Behind The Madness, Starboy), to his more recent albums delving into performance art (After Hours & Dawn FM).
Support the channel, if you like ✨: / qualityculture
Intro music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
0:00 Intro
1:04 1 - The Mystery
6:07 2 - The Star
14:31 3.1 - The Performance (After Hours)
21:13 3.2 - The Performance (Dawn FM)
Sources mentioned:
The Weeknd vs. Abel Tesfaye | GQ
www.gq.com/story/the-weeknd-s...
The Weeknd: Kiss And Tell (2013 Cover Story) | Complex
www.complex.com/music/2013/07...
The Weeknd: A Rising Starboy | WSJ
www.wsj.com/articles/the-week...
The Weeknd Reveals the Significance of His Full-Face Bandages | Variety
variety.com/2021/music/news/t... - Zábava
![[柴犬ASMR]曼玉Manyu&小白Bai 毛发护理Spa asmr](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0TsXQ7z2Dh4/mqdefault.jpg)
My favourite thing about Abel is the self awareness in his lyrics. Nobody does it quite like he does. His music has gotten me through some of my darkest moments. That's his genius.
His ability to use such simple words and convey such complex feelings and situations AND combined with the emotion in his voice is what makes him a perfect and true artist imo
YES. It’s like he’s so honest but mostly through his music.
i feel the same way i love abel tesfaye aka the weeknd i have all of his cds and some old magazines of him too
He’s the only one Abel to do that
His genius is that his music has gotten you through your darkest moments? I swear some of the shit y'all say makes no damn sense
When people think of The Weeknd they think of the popular songs but they don’t know the true art behind him
Sometimes I get selfish and wish my favorite artist never get blown up so they can retain their art form. But loathe the fact that they don't get mainstream success like, "damn, I can't be the only one allowed to experience this music" I think to myself, if they were really that good, wouldn't a sizable amount of people be able to agree that yes, they're the shit. The pros & cons of going commercial. Is it the true marker of artistic success...?
@@alozie__ I totally feel you. I miss the old ages myself but I have always respected the story.
@@alozie__ Evanescence is seemingly unaffected by mainstream success. Their latest album pretty much went back to classical renditions of known hits and new folklore based songs, but they didn't seem fabricated or anything trying to be catchy/popular.
@@riosmax4317 did u just try to artistically compare [Evanescence] to [the Weeknd]😅
@@tessthetimeless I simply am saying that they are an example of not being swept by mainstream culture. The Weeknd is definitely pop culture, but he tried to do something similar artistically by attempting to avoid the effects of stardom and being popular as a music celebrity.
Dawn FM is underrated cause people are not able to see the true meaning of the album. It is just a masterpiece. I love it.
In the same way Kiss Land was slept on
this! but watch, it’s gonna end up like starboy-overly hated then appreciated years later.
It’s now my favorite album by him now even though all of them are amazing
i think dawn fm is second if he really is making another trilogy. cause my dear melancholy doesn’t really fit in, but think about it: after hours, into the dawn and whatever is to come next
Yes.
watching this about his music after the idol hits different💀💀
In what way? I'd never listened to his music, but came across this video prior to watching "The Idol" and I soon realised that a lot of his lyrics were shady AF, so his character in The Idol didn't really surprise me.
@@toomuchinformationI know. Too many people passed the narrative that he was just playing a character to make themselves feel better for consuming entertainment made about female abuse. I remember there was a short time where people were calling it out but got dogged by his fans
Lol I know...turns out it was just fuck boy music 😂
his music sucks too.
I don't know why people are surprised that he acts like this. Like...read his lyrics. These aren't random, by chance, or just lazy writing. He puts all his hard work of misogyny, abuse, and disgustingness into this. It's on purpose. He works hard to produce music with lyrics like these.
Nothing like 17 year old me walking home smoking, drunk and heartbroken while blasting The Hills.
Good times
At age 15 listening to HOB in 2011 got me in all weird emotions
zamn
Hope your good now.
Hopefully, you're in a better place. Damn, your comment takes me back to 2014.
He a musical genius. Hopefully he won't lose himself in all of this.
@@AS-fd9jc he makes more of an effort than 90 percent of the industry
@@doomerboy6373 What do you call someone that makes the effort you claim and still sucks? Lmfao
@@AS-fd9jc we sure know one doofus now
@@AS-fd9jc 🤡🤡🤡
@@Tony_zr The WEAKend is the 🤡
The transition between "Best Friends" and "Is There Someone Else?" is the best thing I ever heard, Dawn FM is literally the best album ever
No offense but you sure abt that? What about trilogy or after hours
@@jordyn2070 after hours slaps but dawn FM jus has a better vibe
I 100% agree
Damn fm is one of his strongest.. however is there someone else, into starry eyes is a faultless transition
THE best album ever? That might be a stretch, although I would definitely say it is his best album and is very high up in history. If we’re going on story, vibe, emotion, and more. I think TPAB for instance, could demolish this
The thing people need to understand is that The Weeknd is a character, a concept, not a real person. The truth is that we actually know very little about the man behind the creation unless it is what he wants to reveal to us.
Dawn FM is literally one of favorite albums of all time. Its one of the most accurate depictions of trying to keep an upbeat attitude while also dying inside from fears, self loathing, and insecurities. Its pretty much depression in musical form 😂
Isn’t that all of his music
@@safafaridi7443 true
Its absoluitely amazing,.... im fkn listening to it everyday
Its really a bliss bro
@@safafaridi7443 trilogy has a lot of darker sounding production
There is a high possibility Abel will watch this, he loves lurking on CZcams. Great analysis, and especially 17:17- 17:26 really nailed it right on the head.
@@stephaniemartins5881 😐😆😆😆😆😆.
no one gonna read that and weeknd is one the best singers today in world so you can hate but if you know his struggles and dive into his discography,you surely will be shocked 🤟
@@stephaniemartins5881 Yeah whoever gave you wifi made a mistake
@@rajatdahiya5105 I think shes schizophrenic or something cuz I found some videos and tweets from her and shes a fucking psycho
@@stephaniemartins5881 take your pills stephanie. the fog is coming
@@stephaniemartins5881 your obviously not sober or sane lol
"He doesn't wallow in his emotions, but suppresses them, refusing to give her the satisfaction of knowing she meant anything to him." What a line!
Not even 3 minutes in but saying "seeing sex as a deal with the devil and showing your vulnerabilities" is powerful as hell, perfectly exemplifies the weekend and my own beliefs
Literally the exact same here. It’s a huge reason he appeals to me. The storytelling production etc is just a bonus haha
Y’alls Username’s 😂
@@TheArtisticwarrior lmfaooo
Iv been a fan for a decade. I fuck with Abel because he's not dancing and running around with a six pack swooning about everlasting love. He's a reflection of our generation of high promiscuity and many of us just jumping from partner to partner. He's subtly telling a long form story, and where enjoying the read.
What does "I fuck with Abel" mean? I thought "don't fuck with me" means "don't start a fight with me", but it doesn't feel like you mean that.
(Not a native speaker)
@@suakeli “I fucks with” in this case means a form of a respect. Basically, you admire the person enough to be associated with/follow them. It’s a term from the hoods of Southern U.S. popularized by rapper, Plies, I believe.
That is what I don't like about his music its immature to me
Art imitates life.
To be fair, most people aren't forced into marriages/relationships like they were back then either.
I really liked how you discussed the toxic relationship themes in terms of how it's something a whole generation seems to relate to... I'll never forget being at college parties in 2015 when The Hills was a huge single, and hearing everyone screaming the hook of "When I'm f-ed up, that's the real me."
Fr tho
On the note you left off, it hurts me when people say that they miss “the old Abel”. Nobody is the same way they were 10 years ago. I feel so proud of how Abel has been telling the story and the meanings behind each song. Quite frankly, he’s the only artist that has been with me for so long. From middle school all the way to my last year in college. I’ll forever be glad for my brother introducing me to him. At first, I didn’t really like his music because it was dark, but depression and getting hurt brought him closer to me. The way I relate to so many of his songs just amazes me. So happy I got to see him in Chicago.
P.S. Amazing analysize and theories. Made me think and reflect hard.
Yeah, it’s so dumb. “I miss the old Abel” then listen to the old music, it’s still there 🤷🏽♂️ like come on
And those same people will complain that Drake hasn't grown as an artist 😂
I am/was one of those people and you're so right! I've been turned off by his music of recent years because I felt the music behind the lyrics didn't do it for me anymore/sounded more like generic pop music. Thanks for this analysis, Quality Culture - I will definitely give the newer albums another listen with this different perspective! :)
@@kikomagana1990 yeah but they want the OLD version to make NEW MUSIC with the same feel as the old stuff.
Folks emotionally connect with something so hard they don't want to let it go. Kinda like a toxic relationship ironically 😆
This video gave me a new perspective and respect for his newer music. I felt like he was becoming this mainstream pop artist to reach a bigger audience but in a way he’s changing into a more mature version of himself, growing musically as well.
BRO IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE THAT THE WEEKND IS CLOSING THE ENTIRE "THE WEEKND" CHAPTER THING OUT AND WILL MAKE MUSIC NOW AS ABEL TESFAYE. So essentially, the weeknd was kind of a persona or a chapter in his life, which ended with dawn fm, which is his last album as the weeknd, whose cover and "symbol" is the weeknd as an old man, meaning he died off and so The Weeknd persona of him is just dead...
Exactly and now abel testfaye is being born which means that new songs will come out even at the wembley concert when he said ‘’ i go by the name of abel testfaye’
Is anyone here ever noticed that he's the only Arists that's humble & loves his fans with the exception of Maxwell & Taylorl Swift..Happy New Year everyone
Greetings ✨️ 🇯🇲
Just here to say that Abel and Lana are some of the best writers of this decade. Nobody's doing it quite like them
Word. 🖤🤍
Hands fucking down
THIS.
Lana and Abe need to sing together
@@ninab.4540 they actually have a song together! It's called "prisoner", enjoy it
As a woman, R&B wasn't a genre I wasn't comfortable with, but Abel's music gave me a glimpse of how men approach intimacy, he's the only artist I truly respect bcz he's not afraid of being vulnerable. His music helped through some of the worst depressive times of my life. OG fr...such a well researched video..makes so much sense..thank you
What does being a woman have to do with this??
Women do the same thing you are being sextist
What?
@@Freebiekiller just talking about how R&B is a platform mostly for men is that so hard to get through your thick skull ?
And he's not the only one, there are many other vulnerable male artists out there specially in q genre like R&B. Daniel Caesar, Mac Miller RIP, Brent, Lucky, the list can go on and on.
The more I learn about The Weeknd the more I’m fascinated by his ability to hold the mirror up to our society. It’s as if he is looking at the toxicities in our vapid culture and saying “Look! This is what you are! This is what you do! Is this really what you want??” And he repeatedly receives a resounding and disheartening “Yes”.
And as much as I enjoy his music, I really hope he finds the thing that will break his cycle of self-abuse and enable him to get better.
Imo dawn fm represents the growth and ability to move forward and forgive yourself
He needs to learn that women from the age of 21 to let's say 35 years old can take any size (above his) penis.. and then he will realise being stressed over such thing was a waste of energy and time
I disagree. I think he's using his performative art to explore his own psyche, rather than explicity try to be critical of society. That is an interpretation that we, the audience, make about his realisation about himself because of how some of us share in and relate to those repressed thoughts (as explained in Chapter 1 of this video).
@@strangulator123 Fair enough. But you can't deny that the culture of sexual liberation and hookup culture is precisely what damaged his psyche in the first place. That's why it feels like a critique of our culture, because he is both a victim and perpetrator of it
That thing was... not a career in television.
I'm honestly glad he's not sticking to one sound/ persona and is constantly evolving. it makes his works always seems fresh and you can always revisit different albums for different moods
and that’s what i love about his music. i can tell what album is what based off the first note of a song. i wish more artists expanded their sound.
I rarely see video essays exploring the emotional destruction one has to go through to have a strained relationship with intimacy. The Weeknd's music is not just typical fuckboy music to me because of the Quincy Jones track on Dawn FM and why quincy jones told that particular story. If you don't get emotional intimacy from your primary caregivers (aka quincy jones not getting it from the mother figures in his life) you won't know real intimacy because our childhood dynamics dictate what goes on for the rest of our lives - its really a foundation that has to be built. Abel grew up without a father - his grandmother raised him in his teens ofcourse he's struggling with intimacy because when he grew up there was no body who embodied true intimacy to him. Rather than fuckboy music - this is music about trauma. Whenever he gets too attached - he cuts the woman off just like quincy jones did because he doesn't feel deserving of love because if his primary caregivers deprived him of love thats the narrative he's subconciously fixated on that needs to play out simply because of familiarity- and not because it serves the greater good in him.
That’s a great point. All of his actions (as described in his music) come from a place of pain and he distances himself as a defense mechanism
Best comment really
You actually uttered a great perspective, I totally agree.
I came here to read the comments not to get attacked smh 🤧
Felt that . 😂💀 Def v tru
It's extremely rare that I could listen to an artist's album and literally like every song. Many artists that I really like have songs that I don't care for, but The Weeknd, especially with Dawn FM, I love every track.
Imagine listening to trilogy
Fr. I love every single song
watching this about his music after the idol hits different. …aged well.
A lot of people call him a “toxic king” or say that his music is demeaning to women but I as a woman who is absolutely obsessed with his music and has been since 2014 don’t feel that way. He is doing exactly what’s explained in chapter 1 of this video, the troubles of love and heart break. I am someone who struggles with commitment and looks for that external love. I love the weeknd for that reason, he talks about so many things that I feel. It seems as tho it’s pointed to women because that’s his interest but if you flip it to your own perspective you realize that it’s all the same.
Nah he is the toxic king but so are all the pop stars post 80s
@@watermelonlover745 nah you're just soft.
Once you learn to love yourself you can love others.
@@AedanBlackheart makes zero sense
oh it’s definitely demeaning LMAO
The Weeknd is going down as a legend in music.
I don't hype this artist that much but bro, it's actually sinful to deny that he is the GOAT. While other hip-hop artists try to glorify drug abuse, he tries to establish himself as a rogue, piece of shit in eyes of all his listeners! Every album has a new story with new characters, which are mostly antagonistic in nature. From being a toxic man in Trilogy who becomes the cause of the grievous death of Valerie to ending up in self-loathing in Dawn FM, the evolution of his character is what makes him a unique artist.
are you fucking kidding? "cut that ivory into skinny pieces now she clean it with her face yeah i love my baby" THATS COKE
@@jasoncardenas8392 in Starboy he is straight up bragging about all the fame and money he has but the whole point of the song is how empty and useless it all is. He even smashes and destroys all his awards and his house in the video to show that.
He doesn’t “glamorize” it, he shows how dark and depressing that lifestyle is despite how flashy and extravagant it looks
@@aspacedolphin6334 exactly 😂
Him not getting nominated for a Grammy was a solidification of how much of a monument one person can be. He got a WHOLE INDUSTRY mad at him. THAT is power.
I don’t know if it’s anger as much as it was the Recording Academy just being completely out of touch and having a bias that “real” musical expression can’t be found in the pop music motif
From Dawn FM onwards, he won't even submit his albums to the Academy anymore. I applaud his attitude. They don't deserve him.
He’s a mystery to the industry that desires grandiosity because of his navigation through personal trauma and imposter syndrome amid a critical society which feeds his alter egos. At the same time he wants to maintain an unmeasured position of success, feeling undefined is paramount to refinement and grounding. That way, he keeps his power and ability to tell a life story, ultimately which is at the industry’s dispense .
This guy is so open to experimenting artistically that he actually does it so well which is highly admirable. I really like his take in music and how he doesn't want to be boxed in. I can feel what he means.
ikr!!!
one of the best artists of all time, not even a question
I'm a huge Abel fan, I'm a 58 yr old lady too. This is one of the better videos about him. Thank you, I enjoyed it very much. Abel is a deep thinker and I love how he has become close with Jim Carrey. Carrey will help Abel enjoy his fame by having a friend that is grounded in reality instead of what fame does to most people. Abel is a humanitarian also, he is really a nice guy, who truly cares about people. I'm so glad he uses his platform to call out the injustices in the world and gives millions to the causes that really need help.
I never could say I loved any famous person as another human being before, until Abel. I truly believe he is special.
This is a the second time I'm seeing an older person comment on Abel's music and I don't think y'all know how giddy it makes a teenage girl like me feel 😭🥺🤧.. Y'all older XO fans are COOL ASF!!!🔥💯 . Thanks so much for this ❤️
Same! I'm 48 and have loved Abel's music since 2011. All these youngsters who only know his recent work are really missing out.....
@@hannahmadden1862 seriously especially the way they try to constantly compare him to Justin like Justin is amazing but we XO fans know the worth and talent of our Man so don't compare 😭✋🏾.. And seriously they're really missing out on his music 💯❤️
I love videos like this! I’ve been listening to the weeknd since early 2013 even though I heard Crew love in 2011, I didn’t look up his other music until I heard Remember you then I discovered Trilogy and my life changed forever. I discovered this during the time me and my high school sweetheart broke up while I was in College cheating and trying to figure life out. I was already a dirt bag in hs and she was fed up with my shit at this point. She moved on with someone else and it crushed me but Trilogy healed & numbed me. It made me feel comfortable with being the toxic guy that I am and not feeling sorry for myself. I listened to Trilogy everyday from january 2013 until kiss land came out then I had that on repeat. I love the darkness in his music, i love his voice, i love his mysteriousness, i love how he can rap and sing, i love the toxicity in his music, i love how he’s true to himself and doesn’t give a fuck. No other singer has said the things he’s said in his music. I’ve never liked any artist as music as I like the weeknd and every project he drops is relatable to what i’m going through in my own life. I’ve seen him live 4 times and i’m going to see him this summer on tour. I will admit that I love his earlier work more than his newer pop sound but even though the instrumentation is more upbeat now the subject matter is still the same. All in all it’s ❌⭕️TWOD
@@michaelmentality Thissss everything you jus said... Amazing 👏🏾.. Weeknd is not jus an Artiste fr, like he's Art. And yes dude rrly doesn't give a fuvk what ppl say about him at all and jus does his thing. I really wanna have that type of personality fr
❌⭕TWOD🔥
i feel like abel is more than just a musician, he’s a true artist. from his mvs to his songs to his concerts and performances he takes things more than just a “concept” but true performance art and it goes over people’s head because they aren’t use to ingesting immersive art which it what i think sets him apart from so many others. dawn fm really cemented this idea for me, i think a continuation album like that is more that just an album it’s art, i’m so excited to see what he does next
Technically almost every musician is an artist since music is a form of art
His entire character in my opinion is the internal struggle young men have with the imposter syndrome, when they try to express their full self in a world that makes no room for their identity.
Abel doesn't just write music- he is writing operas.
@@stephaniemartins5881 any source or just saying false information?
@@stephaniemartins5881 so all you do is comment on youtube? Why not twitter. You can get more attention on twitter. Why not make a video about it? What will commenting on the weeknds videos do? Say we believe you, then what?
@@stephaniemartins5881 Oh okay. Thank you for responding. That was all i was curious about and i hope for the best for you in the future.
@@stephaniemartins5881 Also, your comment was deleted. I'm not sure if intentionally by you or if youtube deleted it.
Puts me in my feelings always.
that's why I like Abel, he's not just a love song or pop songwriter, he is an artist who tells stories with his music
Best part of After Hours is the storytelling hands down. The way the MVs, live performances and the album played in order each tell their story, the rollout to the album, the character. Felt like an actual era/saga.
His music (as well as Lana Del Reys) got me through the really, really dark parts of an abusive relationship…as well as the recovery that came after. Their songs felt raw and dark….but they helped to allow myself to feel the sorrow and the aftermath of my traumas. Some people need dark music like this to let go of emotions, in my case it made a sort of safe space for me because I could feel the emotions but they didn’t feel too close to home. It’s like I was hearing someone else tell my story for me and feel my emotions for me. The honesty in their music felt almost therapeutic.
The Weeknd is one of the few musical artists with true art. Every song, lyric, music video, and album is a piece of a much larger puzzle. It's like watching a movie series, and you never know what direction it's going to go as his puzzle evolves with his real life experiences. It's fun listening to one song from a random artist and enjoying it for 3 minutes. It's enthralling diving into an artists entire body of work deciphering the hidden meanings, messages, and themes that they cleverly constructed over years and years.
There are plenty others. Lol stop fanning out
You mean one of the few in the mainstream pop industry which has been absolute trash for the past few decades. There is a huge underground musical world out there and it's filled with so many talanted artists. The weekend is ok for a mainstream act.
Definitely. His art is always an experience. I don't listen to nowadays music but he's the golden exception ✨️ he's the only artist nowadays that I can safely say is an artist who produces actual art 😌
@@vapingfastbreak5629 who?
throughout the years of knowing who the weeknd is I've never appreciated his music more than now thanks to this video, I feel like I just watched a summary of really good movies I've never watched, but I only have a few scenes on repeat. I guess now I'm gona have to go back and watch the movies.
Also, this channel is underrated 🙌
I think his music has progressively grown more and more cinematic actually, so that was a great way of putting it!
you said it perfectly, the depth and care you put into this video is equal to its subject matter. I admit I couldn't stand The Weeknd originally because I only knew one song that was played incessantly on the "crap FM adult contemporary" radio station at my office (along with Katy Perry, Abba, and Journey). I honestly just thought he was a gimmicky one-hit wonder. Once I accidentally fell down a rabbit hole and was exposed to more of his discography, I came to respect him as the talented, thoughtful artist he is. It's refreshing to see someone attain the kind of success he has while also staying true to himself and allowing himself to evolve.
I can say without a doubt that he is a unique artist. the way he built his career behind a pseudonym titled The Weeknd and showed all the transition phases from anonymity to stardom, to career excesses and the end of an era, everything is very well represented in this gripping book that is the abel it's no wonder that now he will work from his birth name, he is a complete artist
His music has timestamped important phases in my life. Happy to witness the evolution of true talent
The one thing I've adored since Abel realesed House of Ballons until now, is the captivating, deep emotions of the darkest part of his soul continuously changing and being reflected into his songs. He is never afraid to show that vulnerability. Each album presenting the ending of a cycle in his life. It's a storytelling through music.
His evolution in the polish of albums is so noticable. The last 3 mainstream albums especially, from Starboy to After Hours to Dawn FM, it's leaps and bounds to bind the tracks together under a cohesive theme and experience. Dawn FM is by far the most wholistic piece he has put out.
@@stephaniemartins5881 did Andre tell you himself or where is the source of this information?
@@stephaniemartins5881 i am a person just like you are. All i asked for is where is the source for the information you are saying? Im not being rude, im just asking a Simple question.
@@stephaniemartins5881 Oh for Christs sake not you
Most wholistic yet te weakest of the 3.
After Hours is his best tho
Abels music proves that pop is a serious art genre not just commercial. It can reveal the darkest part of us and explore feelings in the abyss we don't share with anyone else. It can bring those our under the guide of catchy beats and harmonic symphonies.
I don't know about pop serious art genre part, are saying his music or pop music because I'm not sure what you are trying to say
@@assassin8636 I think he shows that his music can be an example of pop genre get serious and deep in artistic way although many of pop artists can make artistic pop music not just dancey have fun pop music
@@gurunhitam3414 I mean they can dancey have fun music is great right?
@@gurunhitam3414 and that's a good thing right?
@@assassin8636 not saying "dancey have fun" pop music is bad though because that serves purpose to entertain and i'm cool with that and still enjoy with those type of music, but will be much better if they combine that element with something more artistic or topical or deep if they can (art and entertainment combined) and that will be the best pop music of all time
I can’t listen to the weekend he gives me the creeps,especially with his new show
No lyric has resonated with me more than "when i'm fucked up, i'm the real me".
Same. And its a tough realization
Like an "in vino veritas" type of thing?
No offence but it's a VERY basic line. Something you say when you're 12 yo.
I know but it hit me so hard listening to his music
@@thomasche Its a very basic line when you look at it with the mind of a 12 yr old
Abel’s music is so much deeper than most people really know. This video does a great job at trying to pick apart his discography but hell, this video could’ve been 8 hours if you really wanted it to be haha.
Knowing how Abel grew up, hearing stories about him pre-fame, before the mixtapes even, and seeing where he is now always gives me chills. You think of this young kid who dropped out of high school, couch surfing, partying, having sex, drinking and doing hard-ass drugs, making minimum wage at a clothing store, depressed as all hell, growing up without a father, and seeing this same dude with a bright smile, thousand dollar clothing on his back, singing his heart out at the FUCKING SUPERBOWL, where he then goes home to his giant mansion with his dog to watch himself play a character on The Simpsons. Like, it’s crazy.
And there’s so much that happened throughout all of his career that most people probably don’t know about, including the stuff I just mentioned from his life before fame. He was in a beef with his old producer Jeremy Rose who claimed he never got credit for the work he did with Abel. It’s rumored (with evidence) that after Kiss Land bombed hard with most critics and even a lot of fans, Abel fell into another super deep depression and was going to record an album with a very “fucked up, grungy Nirvana-type vibe”. There’s anecdotal evidence that he went to Seattle to record with Doc McKinney, where they reportedly had a falling out. Tracks like “Often”, “King of the Fall”, and “Tell Your Friends” are rumored to have come from this period, or at least very shortly afterwards. In King Of the Fall, Abel sings “Shout my n**** Doc, that’s a mentor
Had some bad business, nothing personal”
After Starboy, Abel started recording a very poppy album in 2017 which he then scrapped for My Dear Melancholy, because he doesn’t like to put out music that doesn’t match how he feels at the time. That was obviously because him and Selena Gomez broke up. If you’ve ever heard “Let Me Go” which is an unreleased track that leaked and was produced by Kygo, it’s rumored that song came from that project as well.
These are just a few examples and this comment is already long enough, but even just hearing about stuff like this, the stuff that’s happened behind the scenes that we don’t know 100% about, it adds a lot to his journey and who he is today. I also think hearing about this kinda stuff that never came to be adds to his mystery. This comment has been all over the place but I guess I’m trying to say that Abel is one of a kind and there’s a reason he’s my favorite artist of all time. I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Didn’t read this but thumbs up for the effort haha
Where’s the evidence for the nirvana grunge album after kissland ?
Xotwod
Great comment, I didn’t know a lot of this but you’re right, thinking about Abel and reflecting on what he shares and what we only hear bits and pieces of is such a trip. He’s so captivatingly mysterious.
@@roger5mNL lol thanks haha.
And then the Idol. 📉
Imo it just showed how pathetic and laughable a character like that can be
But I don't know if it was unintentional lmao
I felt like The Idol drew inspiration from Neon Demon though, so I feel like it was intentional
I mean, his character in the idol is meant to be a villain, so the logic of this video still applies
Here after The Idol lol
in 2011 the weeknd helped me through my break up. for me, his songs are not about being vulnerable.. it‘s about betrayal and the aftermath of being betrayed.
Definitely understand where you’re coming from. Especially early on, his songs were the soundtrack to bitter broken hearts
There's been hate on the pop star Weeknd evolution when his songwriting has only gotten better and more self-realized with each release. After Hours and Dawn FM are high up there lyrically.
It took time for me to appreciate the lyrical themes of the og stuff bc I didn't find it relatable, but now is the best time to finally get full circle with all the music. Retrospect truly shows the growth of not only art but personhood.
Trilogy > AH and Dawn Fm
No matter how much drip Abel can bring to pop, its almost inherently cookie cutter and uninteresting (to me).
If you can't relate to trilogy, I can understand why you prefer the newer stuff. The life themes are simpler or more typically mainstream relatable, at least. The difference between then and now is basically distilling a feeling vs selling a palatable, catchy track. By design, pop is for easy listening. Sure, Abel is trying to bring elements of that style to pop, but the transition to simplicity/cleanliness/sameyness are the features of pop; not the bugs.
If the goal for Abel is to make the most widespread/popular music, hes doing everything correct. If its to make the deepest music possible, I think its not possible on the path he chose. I think Abel knows this, too. Im not mad, but wish he made some mixtapes that contained some tracks he couldnt release with this pop star image/branding. You can't even really do that without risking hurting your branding for stuff like SB appearances.
@@Mykulveli I appreciate your thoughts and I 100% agree on the caveat of pop music transition involving towing the fine line between staying true to your roots and scrubbing yourself a little too much stay relevant in mainstream eyes. As far as pop goes, dude does a damn good job in the genre, even outside of the radio singles. Then as far as Trilogy, which only a tiny handful of my HS peers knew about at the time obviously, would it be safe to say he was the ultimate trailblazer for that style of R&B? Lyric-wise, he was writing about experiences in Trilogy that I couldn't empathize with at the time, but now I get them. With darker lyrics came a darker headspace, so I've always wondered what mentally came with the lyrical cost/benefit of going "pop." Yet he's GOOD at what he does, no matter what does.
For myself now establishing as a newer fan, I respect that Abel's captured artistic attention from all directions and I personally find that a positive mark. (Although I do dislike that some of his music got caught in the Tik Tok web, social media cheapens everything.) Whether he shuns mainstream or not, pulls a Sadé and comes out of hiding every 10 years after the upcoming album - it feels as if he'll go down as one of the best artists of our century, no genre-assignment required.
@@michaelmentality house of balloons was trash
@@michaelmentality bro stuck in 2012
Music for empty stripclubs laced with neon
He got me through college, truly. There's something about his lyrics that just have just stuck with me.
Ever since getting into his music in 2015-2016, I've noticed his stuff just gets better and better.
2011-2015 is prime weeknd
@@michaelmentality Nah After Hours was his prime.
As someone who relates to Abel’s music I can definitely see him having abandonment issues…. . Anyone who has abandonment issues can definitely relate to him lol . I really would love to talk to him about it . His lyrics scream abandonment issues or even borderline personality disorder.
Lmao…I relate a lot to him and i think there is a chance I have borderline disorder. Now seeing you mention these 2 things maybe it wasn’t all in my head lmao. My father just as his…wasn’t here and I also abuse drugs perhaps we are fucked up similarly
@@deqngeorgiev7833 no yeah your not the only one haha . I never see anyone who makes a vid about his music mention this but I guess the don’t have these issues so they would never know . It’s bitter sweet being able to relate to his music , it’s cool to have someone know what your going through but dame we’re fucked 😂😂😂😂
His lyrics sound like someone who's avoidant
@@Numbhusker he punched a police officer perhaps
@@healingwisdom6727 yeah if you listen to “a tale by quincy” on dawn fm it’s talking how quincy jokes didn’t have his mom and how it made him scared anytime he got close to a women he’d push them away and how it affects your outlook on life and how it affects your relationships and I know Abel didn’t have his father In his life which leads to abandonment issues and I can relate cause I would get scared of getting close to anyone of even now I have a girlfriend and it’s hard cause i used to be scared of her leaving me so I would subconsciously sabotage things and I had very terrible trust issues i was very insecure and even tried to play a idc card or I would come up with scenarios in my head and believe it because I didn’t think I was meant for love which I feel The Weeknd does so he acts like he doesn’t need it when I’m reality you do . even in the past I would play this very toxic “I don’t need love” thing .I also was a loner and pretty anti social but idk Now I’ve been good and the relationship is going well but it’s 100% abandonment issues
Reading comments before The Idol.
What does the idol have anything to do with this? The Weeknd and Tedros in the Idol are both fictional characters, I dont see how that show applies to the narrative arc of the weeknd
The Weeknd is basically Effie Stonem but for boys and I am very glad I grew out of that phase
The weekend was never intended for a make audience.
This video is an essential watch. This was so finely & masterfully crafted.
You've put a microscope to his artistry and have left no stone untouched.
Amazing! I barely knew anything about The Weeknd before watching this video, and now want to see his entire work in the way you described it. Awesome and thanks!
I wish I could take the Journey ur abt to go on again. Its Crazy man, go DEEP
You're in for a hell of a ride. Don't rush yourself.
In a way I’m so jealous of the journey you are about to take because you probably never experienced something like it
@@XPXhumble Same bro, it changed me
Same here!
He is his character on the idol
His video directors and teams are on another level who truly deserve more recognition
When I was going through a turbulent time in my life, the whole After hours album was my saving grace
The Weeknd is the first artist who isn’t from the 80‘s, but manages to capture the spirit of the 80‘s music! Believe me, I‘m old enough to know ;-)
I'm not that old enough yet and I completely understand!! Exactly:)
My momma told me to not believe strangers
@@oliversuhakara78 don't sit there and waste ur time commenting love😌
It makes me happy to know that I’m not the only 80’s baby who is in love with Abel and his music! His voice obviously reminds me of Michael’s voice. I love how honest he is in his lyrics and I love his amazing performance art! He really does capture the spirit of pop when I was a kid. ❤❤❤
@@Leopardvixen369 facts though, and him just being himself.
The man's music is multilayered. I really believe he'll go down as a legend. If not w/ our generation future generations will definitely look at him like we look at legendary artists from the past. Nobody appreciates things in the present as much as they should.
I think I love his music because he talks about relationships and life like it is: its raw, it's messy, and it's dark.
As a fan of the Weeknd, this is exactly the kind of analysis I've been looking for. I absolutely adore his music and creativity and couldn't quite pinpoint what made him a true artist but with this video you put it into words so eloquently. Thank you!
I just dont want him to go full "POP" . Sounds selfish but I want him to be our dark angel relief that we count on for heartfelt moments in life 💀
No no I feel the same way. But the man has been through so much pain at this point so let him do what he wants. We'll just enjoy Trilogy in silence😗
Pop music is good. It's so embarrassing how people pretend not to like it. He's already halfway pop
@@FC-hj9ub he’s like half pop half R&B with really dark lyrics and some trap beats here and there. He doesn’t really belong to a genre. He’s kinda a genre in himself
How about dark pop?
@@FC-hj9ub no one said pop music wasn’t good but his best songs are r&b and that’s just the truth
I think the music video for How Do I Make You Love Me shows us how in the end, he is just a hurt child inside that needs love. Underneath everything, his inner child is the one that is hurt and needs to heal.
Hardest To Love is incredible. The drum and bass instrumental is unheard of in mainstream music.
I was also a fan of Dawn FM and the synthwave influence permanent throughout.
The Weeknd is the kind of success story that encourages me as a underground artist with a small following. Seeing how he’s developed his skills and slowly blown up after seizing each and every opportunity he’s been giving has been inspirational! Mans has quickly become a mainstay in the industry and for good reason. Dude is too nice! I know if I put in the work, I can reach a larger audience some day too, but for now, I’m happy being a supporter. My turn will come too. Salute to The Weeknd🔥
Do you make songs about cocaine? Those are usually great songs
As a die hard fan, this exposed me lol because I related to a lot of what he says in his songs that I didn’t realize how it affected me
His songs are heavy 80’s inspired, I respect his honesty and artistry
I have memories from different parts of my life connected with most of his songs and whenever I listen to them I go back in time and relive them in my head.
It's gonna be a while till we see someone so talented like him dude. He's legit.
Not true. This is only the case when you have surface level pop taste. There are a lot of really talented artists who don’t see the light of day, because of not fitting in the pop norm. Hence Nothing but Thieves, RHODES, Ghostly Kisses etc.
@@noface7679 the weeknd is on a completely different level compared to anyone use said
Yea but check out 070 Shake, some of her songs tap into those weird emotionz
It’s a Generational talent and I think we should appreciate the artistry before it’s gone (I.e. retirement)
He definitely has another 7+ albums in him.
@@PhillieDXO and if he live forever prolly drop a hundred thousand 🤷🏽♂️
Please don’t retire yet - you have to your NZ and australia first
The best breakdown ever, always felt connected with the whole discography, it's also eerily relatable.
Good job
In my opinion the Weeknd has one of the best discographies and most genius and well executed catalogs of music ever. I love how his music is all one long story of not only self reflection but a representation of his life through characters and music. Also, I think DAWN FM and the face transplant that ended the album off is a hint that he is going into his old ways again. He will continue to be haunted by his true reality of older age and maturity with it's newly disfigured appearance (which I also think can be hinted to as a symbolism of drugs as well in a vice-versa manner of blurred memory but instead of from old age blurring out the thought of becoming a better person and aging) and it will be him slowly reshaping himself into a new maturity and finally taking off the mask and facing maturity, age, and self reflection and acceptance in his next project.
E
Abel at his core stays the same as he grows and evolves. I love how he explores so many dimensions and aspects of himself in his music. He really has helped me reconcile with the darker aspects of myself in a way that is much healthier.
idk if this is pretentious but it's also crazy how well he can make you relate to stuff that you haven't gone through the same way as him.
That's called empathy
@@tessthetimeless Ah, thank you Tess.
this is so cool!! the attention to detail and how you interpreted songs and performances is spot on
dude this is literally the best youtube video i’ve ever seen like you interpreted his entire career so beautifully i don’t even know how to explain this is so accurate of how his music makes me feel like this is amazing pls keep doing what ur doing cuz this was literally life changing😫😫🙏🙏🙏
"Save your tears" is personally, my all time favorite song. But I do love his style, retro and modern at the same time.
Beautiful breakdown and extremely on point. This is exactly why as an OG fan, I appreciate the new sounds and styles. It’s bigger than the tracks; it’s true art and expression. The 2nd half of dawn fm made me wanna apologize to every woman I’ve wronged in my f-boy years. Powerful stuff. Keep up great work!
😂😂 that fuckboy regret will get you! thanks for the love, much appreciated!
I love videos like this! I’ve been listening to the weeknd since early 2013 even though I heard Crew love in 2011, I didn’t look up his other music until I heard Remember you then I discovered Trilogy and my life changed forever. I discovered this during the time me and my high school sweetheart broke up while I was in College cheating and trying to figure life out. I was already a dirt bag in hs and she was fed up with my shit at this point. She moved on with someone else and it crushed me but Trilogy healed & numbed me. It made me feel comfortable with being the toxic guy that I am and not feeling sorry for myself. I listened to Trilogy everyday from january 2013 until kiss land came out then I had that on repeat. I love the darkness in his music, i love his voice, i love his mysteriousness, i love how he can rap and sing, i love the toxicity in his music, i love how he’s true to himself and doesn’t give a fuck. No other singer has said the things he’s said in his music. I’ve never liked any artist as music as I like the weeknd and every project he drops is relatable to what i’m going through in my own life. I’ve seen him live 4 times and i’m going to see him this summer on tour. I will admit that I love his earlier work more than his newer pop sound but even though the instrumentation is more upbeat now the subject matter is still the same. All in all it’s ❌⭕️TWOD
I will always remember that no matter what don’t ever get fake teeth. I think people look so much better with their natural teeth even if they aren’t perfectly straight
Your passion for The Weeknd’s music really shines through in this video essay. Great work, dude! 🎶
ashamed to say that in 2015 i thought this dude was some pop d bag. slowly i realized he was something special. learned a bit about his journey here and there... than after hours blew my mind. absolutely laughable that it recieved no grammys. I am so beyond excited to see him (and doja cat) thank you for this dive into his evolution and I'm excited to learn more and to get more familiar with his art. (i didn't know about his films, can't wait to watch those too) great work
Bought by Justin Bieber as his manager has big influences. No way his music got nominated (not sure if he won) but abel didn't lol
His storytelling and the way he articulates his innermost 'demons' are one of the main reasons why he is my favorite artist of the most recent times. His vulnerability makes me root for him and as a fan I'm genuinely excited to see how he evolves and HOPEFULLY overcomes his traumas depicted in his songs.
This video is so fucking good, I LOOOVE these kinda of essays, they bring so much more to what I already knew about how The Weeknd art's makes me feel.
I am intrigued at how beautifully you unpacked this video essay. The analysis is high quality. I appreciate you
My favorite album is After Hours and that's because of FAITH...
Great analysis and the best The Weeknd coverage I've seen so far. I love both Abel and The Weeknd♥♥♥
Faith just hits like nothing else
@@thomson4247 Nothing hits harder
The Weeknd is literally the greatest musician to grace this century.
His music has helped me in so so so many ways.
From just a simple pick me up to helping me overcome my divorce and mental health issues.
Not a lot of people truly understand the impact his music has. For now and years to come!
just cuz u think hes the best musician doesnt mean hes the best
I hope your okay with the divorce
this is probably one of my favorite videos i’ve ever watched on youtube. mad props to you man, thank you for this content.
He simply sings about the most incredible feeling: love! And it's unbelievable how he gets it across. He has opened so many new doors for so many people. Every time I listen to his old and newer albums, I get goosebumps and just sink into another world.
This video is so freaking great, man. I'm gonna start re-listening to some of The Weeknd's songs to feel something like I once did back when I was in high school. 🔥🔥🔥
Definitely had a nostalgia trip listening to those mixtapes again. Felt like there was so much music dropping every other week back then
@@QualityCulture same here. i still hear trilogy!!
@@tomfoolerysbignuts3436 i listen to it basically everyday 🔥
When I said this I was "Just a hater." Music like this has its effect on dating culture. Love through this lense leaves people who are willing to be honest and vulnerable feeling disconnected--Like we're alone or loving the undead. Eventually we end up jaded as well. I hope people can see that this is power this is sadness and healthy love is healing.
Well said
so u're saying listening to theweeknd is toxic?
@@pondering-princess I mean like all things it can be. Especially when you're taking it at surface value and assuming that this is how you should navigate love but in no way is the artist toxic. It's HIS outlet to express himself
Fuck this…The Weeknd gave me trust issues lmao. Till Dawn / Twenty Eight especially these two…
@@bamboleo6348 so true. I started liking guys like theweeknd. Emotionally unavailable user guys. It definitely does influence but I can't stop listening to him. His music, voice,melody, beats and the vibe is that good. Maybe I'm a pain addict or something lol. Also, I'm now a lot more okay with FWB/F buddy situations where in the past, it was a complete no no for me. Shit does influence you.
i love him so much, i think he has lyrics that a lot of people can relate to especially my dear melancholy!! he’s such a great artist and i’m so glad he’s getting the recognition he deserves.
It's one of the bests videos that I've ever seen! The way that you explained his story and his albums was amazing. Thank you for this video for real!
Fucking legend, nobody does it like him, so proud to see him grow over the years, love Abel forever. XO🖤
From 2013 going into the Beauty Behind the Madness era was a great time to be a Weeknd fan. Kissland had just dropped, the features he was doing were 🔥 and his recognition started growing but he was still in his R&B element
Your video made me relisten to The Weeknd’s tracks and I’m so grateful! Hearing everything after knowing the context and history made the already amazing music so much better! Thank you.
This was so comprehensive, thorough and well thought out I can't get over it. The commentary and comparisons to other artists and videos and movies was phenomenal. This 26 minute mini documentary was very well done. Thank you for this offering. Good research and familiarity with the subject matter was evident. I am impressed!