Pop music staple The Weeknd’s highly anticipated album “Hurry Up Tomorrow” was released Friday, Jan. 31, and while The Weeknd further proves his vocal and melodic prowess, the overall vibe of the project feels a bit jumbled at times.
This project is his first album since his critically acclaimed 2022 project “Dawn FM,” and potentially the last record under his “The Weeknd” alias, according to his 2023 interview with W Magazine. It also serves as the third and final album of a trilogy, preceded by “Dawn FM” and his 2020 release “After Hours.”
Throughout the course of his decade-long career, The Weeknd has transformed his sound from atmospheric R&B to 1980s inspired synth-pop. On his newest record, he successfully creates a balance between these two sides of his artistry.
The Weeknd starts the album strong with the track “Wake Me Up,” which pays homage to one of his biggest inspirations by sampling Michael Jackson’s diamond-certified single “Thriller.”
Listeners who were fans of his original sound will enjoy songs such as “Baptized In Fear,” a track that has the old experimental R&B Weeknd vibe that many fell in love with.
The Weeknd made sure to mix old sounds with the new, giving the album a refreshing element to keep listeners on their toes. Both “Cry For Me” and “São Paulo” have elements of Brazilian Funk, a classic genre that’s had a substantial surge over the past couple of years.
The Weeknd enlisted help from several popular figures in the music industry. Both lead singles on the album include features, with “São Paulo” featuring additional vocals from Brazilian singer-songwriter Anitta and “Timeless” having an appearance from Atlanta-based rap superstar Playboi Carti.
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The most impactful feature, however, is Lana Del Rey on “The Abyss.” Known for her ethereal voice, she makes a natural collaborator for The Weeknd, evidenced by their past songs together.
The Weeknd’s ability to create an earworm has never wavered, and his range is as dazzling as ever in his new project. He successfully crafts a dreamlike atmosphere for much of the record, but despite these virtues, there are issues with the length of the album.
The project has the longest runtime of his career thus far. Its staggering total length of 1 hour and 24 minutes causes some drag in the slower parts of the album.
Several songs are unnecessarily long, containing instrumental breaks and outros that feel unneeded. The end product of songs like “Given Up On Me” and “Enjoy The Show” featuring rapper Future would have benefited from staying on the shorter side.
That amount of excess gives the album less replay value as a whole, which is unusual for an artist of The Weeknd’s caliber.
A wide variety in quality from song to song is also present on the project. The album manages to have standout tracks that are masterpieces, while some such as “Without a Warning” and “Drive” feel completely redundant.
The Weeknd built a high amount of suspense for the album with a slow and methodical rollout. The album name was officially announced in an Instagram post on Sept. 4, 2024, packaged with a video explaining the title.
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The project is also supposed to be accompanied by a film of the same name, with a slated release in May of 2025. The film is directed by Trey Edward Schults, and headlined by stars such as Jenna Ortega, Barry Keoghan and The Weeknd himself.
“Hurry Up Tomorrow,” while brilliant at moments, suffers too much from its flaws to have a real chance competing with some of The Weeknd’s most beloved albums. The album’s inconsistency and lack of direction acts as an anchor, holding it down among a sea of classic projects from the artist.
On the same day of the release, The Weeknd announced the “After Hours Until Dawn” stadium tour, to take place from May 9 until Sept. 3, 2025. He will be supported on the tour by opening act Playboi Carti.
