The Weeknd - Dawn fm

By Nora Kelliher

I can’t think of a better way to start 2022 than with a new Weeknd album. On New Year’s Day, the Weeknd posted a screenshot of a message to his creative director saying, “Everything feels chaotic again. Music can heal and that feels more important than another album rollout. Let’s just drop the whole thing and enjoy it with the people”. Much to my excitement, Dawn FM suddenly released the next week on January 7.  

Dawn FM serves as a sequel to Abel Tesfaye’s previous concept album After Hours. Released in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic, After Hours follows the Weeknd through an overindulgent and self-loathing lifestyle, eventually cumulating in the dismal final song “Until I Bleed Out”. The depressing themes of After Hours were well suited for a world in the depths of a pandemic. The Weeknd has described Dawn FM as a state of purgatory following the death and darkness of After Hours. A markedly different sounding album from Abel’s past work, Dawn FM offers listeners a sense of hope (along with a hint of existential dread).    

Comedian Jim Carrey narrates on the album opener “Dawn FM”: “You are now listening to 103.5 Dawn FM. You’ve been in the dark for way too long. It’s time to walk into the light and accept your fate with open arms. Scared? Don’t worry. We’ll be there to hold your hand and guide you through this painless transition”. Dawn FM is themed around a fictional radio station with Carrey providing commentary throughout the album to help ground the concept. Although Carrey’s delivery is rather calming, his words convey that the listener is transitioning from life to death, with Carrey as a guiding figure. The radio show concept may be derived from the Weeknd’s own radio show called Memento Mori, the Latin phrase for “remember you must die”. On the show, the Weeknd plays songs that are currently inspiring his music and features special guests, including Bella Hadid and Mike Dean.

The beginning half of the album is heavily inspired by 80s new wave and electronic dance music styles. Experimenting with a lower register, the Weeknd channels Depeche Mode in the self-destructive “Gasoline”. Swedish House Mafia collaborates on the dance-pop “How Do I Make You Love Me?”, in addition to contributing to “Moth to a Flame” and “Sacrifice”. Abel recruited a plethora of powerhouse electronic music producers to elevate the production of Dawn FM, including Max Martin, Calvin Harris, and Oneohtrix Point Never.

The Weeknd is known for his flawless song transitions and his fifth studio album is no exception. The synth-pop based songs allow for seamless movement from one song to the next in a manner that keeps the listener engulfed by the radio show concept. It feels like you are listening to a carefully planned radio set. The final notes of “How Do I Make You Love Me?” transition into the extended version of “Take My Breath”, the lead single originally released on August 6. Featuring an infectious electro-funk guitar loop, “Sacrifice” stood out to me the most on first listen. It feels as if this is the most fun the Weeknd has had on an album. Abel fully leans into the 80s sound and offers the listener stellar dance tracks to groove to.

Moving from the dance heavy opening tracks, the beloved music producer Quincy Jones reflects on his difficult upbringing and its effect on his relationships with women and his children on “A Tale by Quincy”. The theme of hindsight and new perspective continues as Abel reflects on his past mistakes and pleads for a second chance on “Out of Time”. Tyler, The Creator features as one of the few outside voices on Dawn FM in a first-time collaboration with the Weeknd on “Here We Go…Again”, a song that highlights the dark side of love. Abel continues to explore toxic love and returns to his classic R&B sound on “Best Friends” and “Is There Someone Else?”.

Despite an apparent cynicism towards romance, Abel is vulnerable to love on “Starry Eyes” and “Don’t Break My Heart”. After countless listens, the song I return to most frequently is “I Heard You’re Married” featuring Lil Wayne. The Weeknd’s vocals shine over a production that combines the best aspects of the past and present. Lil Wayne’s signature lighter flick ushers in his verse including the lyrics, “You walk down the aisle, I can make you run back”.

Dawn FM concludes with “Phantom Regret by Jim”, a poem spoken by Jim Carrey that exemplifies the theme of the album: “Heaven’s for those who let go of regret. And you have to wait here when you’re not all there yet. But you could be there by the end of this song”. Ultimately, after the contemplation of mistakes and heartbreaks throughout the album, the listener may escape this purgatory state by coming to peace with the past and moving on.

One of the reasons why the Weeknd is my top artist is his ability to evolve his sound. After the commercial failure of Abel’s debut studio album Kiss Land (2013), a fan favorite inspired by his trip to Japan following 21 years of never leaving his hometown of Toronto, the Weeknd seemed to realize the need to lean into pop music in order to grow a fanbase, much to the dismay of some of his original supporters. His following album Beauty Behind the Madness (2015), featuring hit songs “The Hills”, “Can’t Feel My Face”, and “Earned It”, succeeded in his mission of commercial appeal and soon the Weeknd became a household name. After cementing his superstar status with Starboy (2016), it seems the Weeknd feels more able to express his creativity, all while balancing the importance of radio play and streaming. Without conforming to the norms of a typical R&B singer or pop star, Abel has been able to master the sultry R&B song, the pop-hit, and is now taking on the new wave dance track.  

There is a reason why Weeknd fans call each album an era. Abel continuously reinvents himself and presents a versatility of sound that sets him apart from other artists. I look forward to the release of After Life, the final installment to the trilogy including After Hours and Dawn FM.