Latest news with #WakeMeUp
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Weeknd on the ‘Deeply Psychological, Emotional Ride' Behind the Music in His ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow' Film
The following story contains spoilers from Hurry Up Tomorrow. Four months after The Weeknd released his Billboard 200-topping album Hurry Up Tomorrow, XO fans are finally able to watch the film that inspired its inception in theaters, starting Friday (May 16). More from Billboard The Weeknd Reveals 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' Album 'Didn't Exist' Before the Film 'American Idol': How to Watch Season 23 Finale Online REI Anniversary Sale: Shop the 20 Best Tech, Clothing & Outdoor Deals for Up to 30% Off Directed by Trey Edward Shults, Hurry Up Tomorrow follows a fictional version of the superstar (also named Abel) who's 'plagued by insomnia' and 'is pulled into an odyssey with a stranger who begins to unravel the very core of his existence,' according to the official synopsis. But what's soundtracking his nightmarish journey digs even deeper into The Weeknd's lore. 'Wake Me Up,' the Justice-featuring synth-pop album opener, also serves as the film's opening 'concert song.' The show The Weeknd performs at a that looks identical to the ones he held in Brazil and Australia last fall, where he wore a black and gold kaba — a hand-embroidered Ethiopian robe historically worn by royals and traditionally worn at weddings — and sang atop a rock-hewn church, resembling Lalibela, in the northern region of his motherland. He debuted 'Wake Me Up' at his São Paulo show in September. 'We always wanted a performance song that we can open the film with, and in the vein of a pop record, and 'Wake Me Up' was the inspiration,' The Weeknd tells Billboard. He performs the song again at a different concert later in the film, where he ends up losing his voice – mimicking The Weeknd's real-life experience at Inglewood's SoFi Stadium in September 2022, when he had to cut his concert short for the same reason. That incident, as well as The Weeknd's sleep paralysis diagnosis, are key influences in Hurry Up Tomorrow. The film's Oscar-winning sound designer Johnnie Burn says they remixed the first 'Wake Me Up' performance in the film '35 times, trying to get the balance of how much crowd sound you would hear, how the music would come across. Are you hearing it from Abel's perspective? We tried that. Are you hearing it from the audience's perspective? No. Are you hearing it from a deeply psychological, emotional ride? Yeah, you are.' Burn, who says he went from 'dancing around my kitchen to Abel's music' as a fan to 'dancing around the mixing room' with the man himself, says the process involved everything from asking Mike Dean for 'a new synth line that sounds a bit more live' to miking The Weeknd while he recorded new lyrics that better suited the storyline. When The Weeknd was changing up a few lyrics during the cutaways, 'I said, 'Well, you're probably in quite an adrenaline state when you go out in front of 80,000 people.' So I made him do push-ups to get kind of worked up,' Burn recalls with a chuckle. 'He was like, 'What, now?' And I was like, 'Yeah, get down and give me 20.'' Burn says the song that required the most fine-tuning was the cathartic centerpiece 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' which The Weeknd explains was inspired by the titular track from Robert Altman's 1973 satirical noir film The Long Goodbye, because of how frequently it appears. 'You hear it throughout the entire film, different iterations of it. You hear it on the radio, you hear a pop version of it, subjectively in the score, diegetically, a mariachi band will sing it every time he goes to Mexico. And I wanted to do that with 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,'' he explains. Abel first plays Anima (played by Jenna Ortega) a stripped-down draft of it off his phone in a hotel room. Moved to tears, Anima admits she relates to its autobiographical lyrics — because her father left when she was a kid, her mother struggled to raise her alone and she abandoned home to forge her own path that's fraught with inescapable loneliness. The next morning, Abel turns around while sitting on the hotel bed and faintly hears Anima singing some of the first verse in the shower behind closed doors. He later encounters his younger self, who's swaddled in a gabi, a white handwoven Ethiopian cotton blanket, and singing a few lines in Amharic, the primary language of Ethiopia. But after Anima douses him and the hotel bed he's tied to with gasoline — and right as she holds a lighter above him — Abel belts an a cappella version that feels like he is literally singing for his life: 'So burn me with your light/ I have no more fights left to win/ Tie me up to face it, I can't run away, and/ I'll accept that it's the end.' 'You're seeing the making of it, not literally me making it, but the themes and the concept and the melody and the soul of it is being made throughout the film. By the end of it, it's fully blossomed into this song, which essentially is what the film is saying,' says The Weeknd, who adds that he had 'to finish the lyrics the night before I had to perform it at the end.' But outside of the Hurry Up Tomorrow tracks, fans will be surprised to hear two earlier songs from The Weeknd's discography in the film: his 2021 blockbuster hit 'Blinding Lights' – which is the top Billboard Hot 100 song of all time – and 'Gasoline,' the first track from his 2022 album Dawn FM. Anima analyzes the emptiness and heartache in the songs as she hysterically lip-syncs and dances to them, and she later questions Abel if he's the true toxic subject behind his music. 'What I am doing by the end of the film is, I'm lighting my persona up on fire. But to tap into that, you need to go into the back catalog a little bit, and take in what I'm saying in some of these lyrics and how they're masked by pop elements,' he says. 'It's always been a joke that joke with The Weeknd music, where it makes you sing and dance and it feels jolly. And then when you actually get into the themes of it, it's something much deeper — and maybe a call for help, who knows. That's how [Anima's] reading it, and essentially forcing myself to face myself.' There are other callbacks to his catalog in the sound design. The guttural shrieks heard right after Anima swings a champagne bottle over Abel's head and knocks him out when he first tries leaving the hotel room sound reminiscent of the title track of his 2013 debut studio album Kiss Land. The 'Easter eggs,' as Burn calls them, extend beyond the film — as fans pointed out online that the ending of 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' which serves as the final track of The Weeknd's album, seamlessly transitions into the beginning of 'High For This,' the first track off his 2011 debut mixtape House of Balloons. While Hurry Up Tomorrow bids farewell to the character Abel Tesfaye has played for over a decade, it also underscores the long-standing symbiotic relationship between music and film in The Weeknd's world. 'When you hear the screams in the record and you hear all these horror references and you feel scared, listen to the music — because I want you to feel what I'm feeling. Kiss Land is like a horror movie,' The Weeknd told Complex in his first-ever interview back in 2013. 'We wanted to do something we've never seen or heard on screen before,' he says now. 'We were able to do these big swings, and I think they landed well in the film. I'm really proud of the music, and I'm proud of the sonics of it. It's much different from the album. It's like its own experience.' Best of Billboard Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble, Pentatonix & Train Will Bring Their Holiday Hits to iHeart Christmas Concert Fox Plans NFT Debut With $20 'Masked Singer' Collectibles 14 Things That Changed (or Didn't) at Farm Aid 2021
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Avicii's final words revealed from his diary; reads,' the shedding of the soul...'
Avicii, whose real name was Tim Bergling, was a Swedish Dj who rose to fame with hits like, 'Wake Me Up' , 'The Nights' and 'Hey Brother.' He was found dead on April 20, 2018, in Muscat, Oman, after repeatedly cutting himself with a broken wine bottle. Seven years after the tragic passing of the Swedish DJ, his team has revealed the final diary entry of the late electronic music legend. They have also released a posthumous album titled Avicii Forever to honour his life and the legacy he left behind. His last words were: 'The shedding of the soul is the last attachment before it restarts!' Avicii struggled with mental health issues and substance abuse and due to this, he had stopped touring in 2016. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo In an open letter released by his family at the time stated, "Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions. An over-achieving perfectionist who travelled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress.' It further read, '"When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be able to be happy and to do what he loved most - music. "He really struggled with thoughts about meaning, life, happiness,' it continued. 'He could now not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace.' The letter concluded with, "Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive." A documentary released last year on Netflix titled, Avicii : I'm Tim, offered a deeper insight into his mental health struggles. It includes several interviews and never-before-seen footage, which gave the audience a deeper understanding of Avicii's battle with anxiety and depression. The posthumous album, 'Avicii Forever' features 19 essential tracks from Avicii's back catalog, as well as a new song, 'Let's Ride Away' with singer-songwriter Elle King. Sandro Cavazza, whose vocals were featured on Avicii's Forever Yours — Tim's 2016 Ibiza Version, said in a statement, 'Just so you all know. I have not agreed on (releasing) this as a single.' He continued, 'I have only agreed on releasing Tim's demo version of Forever Yours as a part of a full live album release from Tim's last show, but since that album wasn't released today and this is now being portrayed as a single, featuring me, I feel like I need to speak up' He further stated, "I have for years now been asked by the family and Pinguettes recordings to release the unreleased material I have done together with Tim and I have consistently said no.' A lot of you probably wonder why those songs have never come out, and the truth is that I don't want to release any of those songs without Tim being here. "He is the only one who knew when his songs were finished, and I do and will continue to respect that."
Pink Villa
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Avicii's Heartbreaking Last Words Revealed 7 Years After His Tragic Death, Along With His Posthumous Album
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of su*cide and death Avicii, whose real name was Tim Bergling, wrote a heartbreaking message the day before he died. Seven years after he tragically took his own life, his team has revealed the final diary entry of late Swedish DJ and electronic music legend. They have also released a 19-track posthumous album titled Avicii Forever to honor his life and legacy. His last words: "The shedding of the soul is the last attachment, before it restarts!" Avicii was found dead on April 20, 2018, in Muscat, Oman, after reportedly committing suicide by cutting himself with a broken wine bottle. His death shocked the EDM world and devastated millions of fans. Struggling with mental health issues and substance abuse, Avicii had stopped touring in 2016. In an open letter released by his family at the time, they described him as a "fragile artistic soul" and an 'overachieving perfectionist' who "wanted to find peace." A documentary released last year, I'm Tim, offered a deeper look into his mental health struggles. Featuring several interviews, the film received a standing ovation at the Tribeca Film Festival. It included never-before-seen footage, which gave an insight into Avicii's battle with anxiety and depression. Jesse Waits, a close friend of the DJ, recalled how exhausted and disconnected Avicii became in his final months, comparing him to a "zombie" strung out on painkillers. During one dinner, Avicii was "not there" even though his eyes were "wide open", Waits said. Musician Aloe Blacc, who worked with the DJ on his hit Wake Me Up, said that Avicii's song SOS from his posthumous album Tim was a "cry for help" that came "way too late." Avicii began making music as a teenager in Stockholm and rose to fame with hits like Levels, Hey Brother, and Wake Me Up. He performed at more than 800 events in just six years. For years, Avicii struggled with the pressures of fame and eventually took help of alcohol to keep going. In the documentary, he said, "I was killing myself. The touring went even crazier because the fees were getting higher… everything went so fast from that point on." Disclaimer: If you know someone who is having su*cidal thoughts, anxiety, or depression, or is suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help. There are several helplines available for the same.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Movie Review: The Weeknd's 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' is a surrealist vanity project
NEW YORK (AP) — It's the final night of tour. SoFi Stadium, just outside Los Angeles, is packed. 80,000 fans stand before The Weeknd, an endless sea of blinding lights. The bestselling artist born Abel Tesfaye emerges onstage. He launches into the first song. Less than a minute goes by, and the unthinkable happens: His voice cracks. And then it is gone. That September night in 2022 marked a turning point for Tesfaye. He mines the scene in 'Hurry Up Tomorrow, ' where, ironically, it arrives too late. The tedium of an incoherent first act paints the charismatic performer — one of the last few decades' most popular — as an unempathetic protagonist in a nonlinear and nonsensical world. But how much of The Weeknd is here, really? In his first leading role in a feature film, directed by Trey Edward Shults, Tesfaye plays a fictionalized version of himself, an insomniac musician (as made explicitly clear in the 'Wake Me Up' leitmotif, where he sings, 'Sun is never rising / I don't know if it's day or night'). He's marred by a recent breakup from an ex portrayed in a cruel voicemail message ('I used to think you were a good person,' she says) and a hedonistic lifestyle, instigated by his superficial friend-manager Lee, played Barry Keoghan. Shortly after Tesfaye loses his voice, a psychosomatic ailment, he meets superfan Amina, portrayed by Jenna Ortega. She offers temporary comfort and, in return, is afforded no agency. She exists for him. Soon, the uninspired horrors begin, culminating in what recalls the torture scene in 'Reservoir Dogs' with less violence. Instead, Amina — when she is not weeping; I urge all viewers to keep a 'cry count' and consider what feminist blogs might have to say — lip-syncs some of The Weeknd's biggest hits back to him, explaining that they're all about 'emptiness and heartbreak.' Woven throughout is some conversation about absent fathers and fear of abandonment, with unearned delivery and first-draft acuity — something gesturing at depth without piercing the surface. According to press materials, Amina and Lee are not real people but representations of Tesfaye. She is meant to represent Tesfaye's disconnected, 'deeper emotional self' — and Lee, his public persona. That is not made explicitly clear in the film, except in a very generous reading of the ending. Subtext only works when there is context to back it up, otherwise, you are left with 'Hurry Up Tomorrow': an exciting vanity project with surrealist imagination but stiff writing, no stakes, limited emotional weight and an unclear narrative. That won't be an issue for superfans, of course — those intimately familiar with The Weeknd's music and career. This film appears to be for them and Tesfaye, a producer, alone; they have the framework in which to enjoy the runtime. Considering that fandom is the dominant form of popular culture, it's not a bad business decision. And it's worked for him before. This is not Tesfaye's first foray into acting. Aside from his cameo in 'Uncut Gems,' he starred in HBO's 2023 series 'The Idol. ' He co-created the show with Sam Levinson, a show that similarly presented unearned provocation. At the time, 'The Idol' received criticism for its sadomasochistic storytelling that emerged after a shift away from 'the female perspective,' allegedly a request from Tesfaye. It was not a clever or subversive show, nor was it really even about anything, but it did inspire conversation. It's easy to see how 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' may have similar effects. In a moment where autobiographical films about musicians are playful and creative — Pharrell Williams' Lego partnership 'Piece by Piece' comes to mind, as does Robbie Williams' ' Better Man ' — 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' feels like a misstep for those outside The Weeknd's most devoted. Of course, the film does not identify as a biopic. But it could've benefited from less self-seriousness. And editing. But what about the music? 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' is connected to Tesfaye's latest album of the same name — and the final chapter in The Weeknd's record-breaking trilogy that began with 2020's 'After Hours' and continued with 2022's 'Dawn FM.' The album, the quietest of the series, worked as an allegory on the trials of fame — a topic long covered by the most successful purveyors of pop. Retrospectively, it works best as a film's soundtrack than a stand-alone record, ambitious. Like the movie, it gestures at criticism of the celebrity-industrial complex without accomplishing it. It seems obvious, now, to learn that the movie predates the record. The film's strength far and away is its score, composed by Tesfaye with Daniel Lopatin (better known as the experimental electronic musician Oneohtrix Point Never and for his 'Good Time' and 'Uncut Gems' scores). It builds from Tesfaye's discography and morphs into something physical and psychedelic — at its most elated, dread-filled and clubby. It is so affecting, it almost distracts from moments of dizzying cinematography, with the films' penchant for spinning frames, zooms into upside skylines, blurred vision and erratic lights. Those tools feel better suited for a music video, the kind of sophisticated visual world Tesfaye has developed in his pop career. They elevate his euphoric, layered, evocative dance-pop, but they do not translate in this film. 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' a Lionsgate release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for language throughout, drug use, some bloody violence and brief nudity. Running time: 105 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
Movie Review: The Weeknd's 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' is a surrealist vanity project
NEW YORK -- It's the final night of tour. SoFi Stadium, just outside Los Angeles, is packed. 80,000 fans stand before The Weeknd, an endless sea of blinding lights. The bestselling artist born Abel Tesfaye emerges onstage. He launches into the first song. Less than a minute goes by, and the unthinkable happens: His voice cracks. And then it is gone. That September night in 2022 marked a turning point for Tesfaye. He mines the scene in 'Hurry Up Tomorrow, ' where, ironically, it arrives too late. The tedium of an incoherent first act paints the charismatic performer — one of the last few decades' most popular — as an unempathetic protagonist in a nonlinear and nonsensical world. But how much of The Weeknd is here, really? In his first leading role in a feature film, directed by Trey Edward Shults, Tesfaye plays a fictionalized version of himself, an insomniac musician (as made explicitly clear in the 'Wake Me Up' leitmotif, where he sings, 'Sun is never rising / I don't know if it's day or night'). He's marred by a recent breakup from an ex portrayed in a cruel voicemail message ('I used to think you were a good person,' she says) and a hedonistic lifestyle, instigated by his superficial friend-manager Lee, played Barry Keoghan. Shortly after Tesfaye loses his voice, a psychosomatic ailment, he meets superfan Amina, portrayed by Jenna Ortega. She offers temporary comfort and, in return, is afforded no agency. She exists for him. Soon, the uninspired horrors begin, culminating in what recalls the torture scene in 'Reservoir Dogs' with less violence. Instead, Amina — when she is not weeping; I urge all viewers to keep a 'cry count' and consider what feminist blogs might have to say — lip-syncs some of The Weeknd's biggest hits back to him, explaining that they're all about 'emptiness and heartbreak.' Woven throughout is some conversation about absent fathers and fear of abandonment, with unearned delivery and first-draft acuity — something gesturing at depth without piercing the surface. According to press materials, Amina and Lee are not real people but representations of Tesfaye. She is meant to represent Tesfaye's disconnected, 'deeper emotional self' — and Lee, his public persona. That is not made explicitly clear in the film, except in a very generous reading of the ending. Subtext only works when there is context to back it up, otherwise, you are left with 'Hurry Up Tomorrow': an exciting vanity project with surrealist imagination but stiff writing, no stakes, limited emotional weight and an unclear narrative. That won't be an issue for superfans, of course — those intimately familiar with The Weeknd's music and career. This film appears to be for them and Tesfaye, a producer, alone; they have the framework in which to enjoy the runtime. Considering that fandom is the dominant form of popular culture, it's not a bad business decision. And it's worked for him before. This is not Tesfaye's first foray into acting. Aside from his cameo in 'Uncut Gems,' he starred in HBO's 2023 series 'The Idol. ' He co-created the show with Sam Levinson, a show that similarly presented unearned provocation. At the time, 'The Idol' received criticism for its sadomasochistic storytelling that emerged after a shift away from 'the female perspective,' allegedly a request from Tesfaye. It was not a clever or subversive show, nor was it really even about anything, but it did inspire conversation. It's easy to see how 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' may have similar effects. In a moment where autobiographical films about musicians are playful and creative — Pharrell Williams' Lego partnership 'Piece by Piece' comes to mind, as does Robbie Williams' ' Better Man ' — 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' feels like a misstep for those outside The Weeknd's most devoted. Of course, the film does not identify as a biopic. But it could've benefited from less self-seriousness. And editing. But what about the music? 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' is connected to Tesfaye's latest album of the same name — and the final chapter in The Weeknd's record-breaking trilogy that began with 2020's 'After Hours' and continued with 2022's 'Dawn FM.' The album, the quietest of the series, worked as an allegory on the trials of fame — a topic long covered by the most successful purveyors of pop. Retrospectively, it works best as a film's soundtrack than a stand-alone record, ambitious. Like the movie, it gestures at criticism of the celebrity-industrial complex without accomplishing it. It seems obvious, now, to learn that the movie predates the record. The film's strength far and away is its score, composed by Tesfaye with Daniel Lopatin (better known as the experimental electronic musician Oneohtrix Point Never and for his 'Good Time' and 'Uncut Gems' scores). It builds from Tesfaye's discography and morphs into something physical and psychedelic — at its most elated, dread-filled and clubby. It is so affecting, it almost distracts from moments of dizzying cinematography, with the films' penchant for spinning frames, zooms into upside skylines, blurred vision and erratic lights. Those tools feel better suited for a music video, the kind of sophisticated visual world Tesfaye has developed in his pop career. They elevate his euphoric, layered, evocative dance-pop, but they do not translate in this film. 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' a Lionsgate release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for language throughout, drug use, some bloody violence and brief nudity. Running time: 105 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.
