In Hurry Up Tomorrow, The Weeknd literally sets himself on fire. More than a dramatic moment in a bleak film, now available for streaming, the act is a symbolic reset.
The Canadian pop star, real name Abel Tesfaye, kills off the hedonistic alter ego that dominated the charts and helped sell nearly 100 million records over the past decade.
It’s not just the climax of a psychological drama and its companion album about an artist hitting a professional and emotional dead end. It’s also the beginning of something new, the first step for Tesfaye towards escaping the creative limits of his own success.
The shift was a long time coming. In 2023, Tesfaye told The Fader he had reached a creative crossroads: “The Weeknd, whatever that is, has been mastered. I’ve overcome every challenge as this persona.”
The turning point reportedly came during a sold-out 2022 show in Los Angeles, when his voice gave out during Can’t Feel My Face. Tesfaye walked off stage and later described the moment as a “mental breakdown”.
That rupture would shape the arc of Hurry Up Tomorrow, both the film and the album. Tesfaye’s farewell echoes a long tradition in pop music, a genre filled with artists jettisoning the very identities that made them successful. Sometimes the farewell is loud and theatrical, other times it’s quiet and gradual. But the impulse is the same: the character outlives its use and the artist moves on.
An early precedent of the high-profile persona kill-off remains David Bowie’s retirement of Ziggy Stardust. Introduced with 1972’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, the flame-haired, androgynous alien gave Bowie space to embrace glam theatrics and otherworldly sounds like Moonage Daydream and Starman.
More than a typically mercurial gesture, the move now looks prescient. Ziggy had reached a creative cul-de-sac. The arc, of an alien rock star destroyed by fame, had run its course. Bowie would later say the character began to overtake his own personality and continuing would have come at too great a personal cost.
By letting go, Bowie returned to earth with a more grounded, soul-inflected sound, heard on 1975 album Young Americans and his first US number one hit, Fame. It marked another phase in a path built on reinvention, soon giving rise to characters such as the emotionally detached Thin White Duke in 1976.
Tesfaye arrived at a similar moment. He introduced his character as mysterious, brooding and emotionally numb on 2011’s House of Balloons.
The underground acclaim only deepened his self-destructive leanings, eventually earning him the title “king of toxic romance”. In Hurry Up Tomorrow, that figure reaches a breaking point. The persona, also explored in the risque TV series The Idol, is swallowed by the very excess he once glorified, a perhaps fitting end for a character built on desire and destruction.
Other artists reached that turning point in different ways. For Eminem, the unhinged alter ego Slim Shady was introduced on the 1999 album The Slim Shady LP. As the shock factor wore off, the character became a creative crutch, reappearing for occasional late-career hits such as Berzerk. It also became a stick some critics used to beat him with, often overlooking the more soulful and socially conscious terrain he explored over the past decade under his real name Marshall Mathers.
It’s no surprise, then, that Eminem bid farewell to the character in last year’s aptly titled The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace). The album conceptually served as one last ride with the figure that made him famous, while also reckoning with the controversies that have dogged his career, particularly on sombre and reflective tracks such as Somebody Save Me and Fuel.
Fellow rapper Tyler, The Creator pulled off a similar low-key retreat. He emerged as the latest face of horrorcore, the abrasive hip-hop subgenre, with the blood-curdling rhymes of 2011’s Goblin, before moving towards introspection, vulnerability and self-empowerment on Flower Boy in 2017 and his latest stellar effort Chromakopia last year.
Sometimes these shifts serve a practical purpose. Flush from the near-instant success of her 2003 debut solo single Crazy in Love, Beyonce had to quickly learn how to command the stage on her own, away from Destiny’s Child. To do so, she created the assertive Sasha Fierce, as introduced on the 2008 album I Am... Sasha Fierce, to reportedly overcome stage fright.
By 2011, with a few tours behind her, Beyonce retired the character, telling Allure magazine: “I’ve grown, and now I’m able to merge the two.” That decision was reflected in a run of deeply vulnerable and powerful albums, including Lemonade.
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga adopted a relative subdued figure to tone down her image with her 2016 album Joanne, named after her late aunt.
She stripped back the spectacle, glamour and high-octane maximalist pop of her “Mother Monster” era – as heard in blockbuster hits Poker Face and Bad Romance – to adopt a less flamboyant sound and image, ditching theatrical costumes and the meat dress for simple denim and leather, while featuring acoustic guitars and country influences.
The ready-made pop blueprint, of course, lies with Madonna, who viewed each persona as a strategic shift to the next cultural zeitgeist.
Whether as the “Material Girl” during former US president Reagan’s free market era or embracing a club sound as electronic music rose in the charts at the turn of the century, she was never emotionally attached to her personas, treating them more like career chapters than characters.
And maybe that’s the best path for Tesfaye’s next move. Rather than fully embracing and committing to whatever he becomes next, even if he believes it is his authentic self, he shouldn’t be too wedded to it.
Pop music, after all, is about continuous reinvention and clearing the stage for what or who comes next.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
More on Quran memorisation:
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
KYLIAN MBAPPE 2016/17 STATS
Ligue 1: Appearances - 29, Goals - 15, Assists - 8
UCL: Appearances - 9, Goals - 6
French Cup: Appearances - 3, Goals - 3
France U19: Appearances - 5, Goals - 5, Assists - 1
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
Honeymoonish
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Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
ARSENAL IN 1977
Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Feb 12 Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal
Feb 15 Middlesbrough 3-0 Arsenal
Feb 19 Arsenal 2-3 West Ham
Feb 26 Middlesbrough 4-1 Arsenal (FA Cup)
Mar 01 Everton 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 05 Arsenal 1-4 ipswich
March 08 Arsenal 1-2 West Brom
Mar 12 QPR 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 23 Stoke 1-1 Arsenal
Apr 02 Arsenal 3-0 Leicester
HEY%20MERCEDES%2C%20WHAT%20CAN%20YOU%20DO%20FOR%20ME%3F
%3Cp%3EMercedes-Benz's%20MBUX%20digital%20voice%20assistant%2C%20Hey%20Mercedes%2C%20allows%20users%20to%20set%20up%20commands%20for%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Navigation%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Calls%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20In-car%20climate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Ambient%20lighting%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Media%20controls%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Driver%20assistance%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20General%20inquiries%20such%20as%20motor%20data%2C%20fuel%20consumption%20and%20next%20service%20schedule%2C%20and%20even%20funny%20questions%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThere's%20also%20a%20hidden%20feature%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20pressing%20and%20holding%20the%20voice%20command%20button%20on%20the%20steering%20wheel%20activates%20the%20voice%20assistant%20on%20a%20connected%20smartphone%20%E2%80%93%20Siri%20on%20Apple's%20iOS%20or%20Google%20Assistant%20on%20Android%20%E2%80%93%20enabling%20a%20user%20to%20command%20the%20car%20even%20without%20Apple%20CarPlay%20or%20Android%20Auto%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
4pm: Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
4.35pm: Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m; Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
5.10pm: Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Canvassed, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Lord Glitters, Daniel Tudhope, David O’Meara
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
7.30pm: Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Final Song, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
