The Weeknd for the Weekend (and every other day of the week)

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Sometimes I am called too “Hippity hop” by my content director – and fair enough, I’m wearing a silver knit that looks like it’s made out of the heavy-duty scouring scrubber pads you use for cleaning really tough soot off the bottom of your pan. On top of this really stylish number, I’m wearing denim overalls and leopard print ZX fluxes. Oh, and also a black Nike golf cap and red headphones.

I may not sound credible, but please just bear with me for a second. I swear to God, this is something that will be life altering. It’s tear-inducing music that evokes so much… “Feeling” – an unmanageable amount for myself to contain for an office space. Onve you’ve read the “downtime music” section of the latest issue of M2WOMAN (On sale 31st), you will know that I was quite noticeably excited for The Weeknd’s new album, Beauty Behind the Madness. Upon watching the “Tell Your Friends” music video two days ago when it was released, I could not shake off the typical millenial’s urge to share it. Admittedly, I am hard core fan-girling right now; about the music, not his dubious pineapple hair – he is most definitely not boyband material.

As soon as I pushed play on “Tell Your Friends”, Kanye West’s influence is immediately recognizable – probably because he co-produced it. Directed by Grant Singer, the clip is rather violent. First of all, Abel Tesfaye a.k.a The Weeknd, buries himself alive in the middle of the desert. Secondly, he shoots the super creepy, old and androgynous woman at the end of “The Hills” music video. As he stands over the dead body, the song finishes and the scene goes black. Following this confusing murder, he drives into the abyss to “Real Life”, the first track on his new album. My body undergoes shivers and my muscles flutter like a human harp and my legs tingle like a percussionist sweeping his wand-like mallet along a set of chimes. The clip ends abruptly, in the signature Weeknd fashion, leaving me a bit dumbfounded – he sure knows how to create suspense. It’s a prelude to more upcoming endangerment.

His album features Ed Sheeran, in the track, “Dark Times”, and Lana Del Rey in “Prisoner”. Both, obviously, nothing short of electrifying and arresting. You don’t have to agree, but it is, by far, the most sensual discography ever to be released. It’s revolutionary music and it profoundly expresses his philosophy: beauty behind the madness.

Releasing on Friday 28th August, it’s The Weeknd for the weekend and obviously, every other day of the week.