In 2020, as the pandemic gripped the world, many sought solace in alternate realities they hoped to find through art. The Weeknd’s “After Hours”, a concept album influenced by Dante Alighieri’s “Inferno” emerged as a particularly popular escape. Fans traded what felt like modern hell for a fictional one, beginning a journey that concluded this year with The Weeknd releasing “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” the last album under his pseudonym.
From the first announcement, it was clear that “After Hours” would explore a descent into chaos. The title reveal featured The Weeknd driving through a dark city, foreshadowing turmoil, further underscored by the album cover, which showed him bloodied and bruised against a dark red backdrop. This all set the stage for the story of a tragic antihero consumed by heartbreak, excess and regret, navigating a personal hell of fame, drugs and lust.
“After Hours” opens with “Alone Again” and “Too Late,” both hinting at a hellish setting. In “Alone Again,” the protagonist pleads to be taken “down to your altitude,” evoking Dante’s gradual journey down the circles of Hell. “Too Late” explicitly states, “We’re in hell, it’s disguised as a paradise with flashing lights.” The character is trapped in a self-imposed inferno of lust, addiction, pride and guilt.
“After Hours” also explores themes of faith and divine estrangement. In “Faith,” the antihero confesses, “I lost my faith / I’m losing my religion every day,” mirroring Dante’s encounters with sinners. The album concludes with “Until I Bleed Out,” where the protagonist reaches his lowest point, drained and beyond redemption, echoing the despair of the damned in “Inferno.” This finality encapsulates the suffocating feeling of eternal damnation before dawn arrives, while the seamless transitions between tracks reinforce the continuous narrative.
Two years later, The Weeknd announced “Dawn FM,” a journey through purgatory framed as a surreal radio broadcast guiding listeners toward the afterlife. Unlike “After Hours,” which delved into self-destruction, “Dawn FM” served as a transitional space — an attempt to reckon with the past and seek redemption. Drawing inspiration from Dante’s Divine Comedy, it mirrored “Purgatorio,” depicting a place where souls undergo purification.
Jim Carrey’s voice introduces the Dawn FM station, suggesting that The Weeknd’s character is not dead but en route to something unknown. In the opening track, listeners confront regrets and sins, reflecting the purification process in Dante's work. In the penultimate track, “Less Than Zero,” the protagonist expresses self-awareness and readiness to let go of his past.
The album concludes with Carrey’s monologue in “Phantom Regret,” stating, “Heaven’s for those who let go of regret,” encapsulating the journey through Purgatory. As Dante ascends, purifying himself from sin, The Weeknd’s character confronts his shortcomings, with Carrey as a guiding voice, emphasizing hope and the journey toward redemption.
This brings us to The Weeknd’s newest album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” which can be understood as a modern exploration of themes in Dante’s “Paradiso,” particularly spiritual ascension, divine love and enlightenment. While Paradiso depicts Dante's journey through Heaven, where he encounters the blessed and experiences divine illumination, “Hurry Up Tomorrow” reflects a desire for transcendence and connection with a higher state of being.
The album opens with the lines, “All I have is my legacy / I been losing my memory.” The opening track, “Wake Me Up,” features pleas to an unknown subject to awaken him from a paralyzing sleep, symbolizing readiness for the next stage of life. In a full circle moment, the closing title track begs for “Heaven when I die.” Through themes of enlightenment, love and transformation, “Hurry Up Tomorrow” resonates with Dante’s “Paradiso,” inviting listeners on a journey toward a higher understanding and connection with the Divine. The Weeknd’s exploration reflects a modern interpretation of the quest for meaning and redemption, echoing Dante's timeless vision of the ascent to spiritual bliss.
Ultimately, through this new trilogy, The Weeknd has crafted a modern interpretation of the journey depicted in Dante's “Divine Comedy,” inviting listeners to reflect on their own experiences of struggle, redemption and the pursuit of a deeper connection with the Divine. Each album encapsulates a distinct stage in this journey, culminating in a search for meaning and enlightenment, much like Dante’s work.
This trilogy has been a journey for listeners and a period of self-reflection for The Weeknd. As he closes off this chapter of his artistic identity, there is no doubt that the “After Hours Til Dawn” trilogy allowed him to fully explore all of the emotions and experiences that come with stardom. With “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” he has tied a bow on the art he has gifted his listeners as The Weeknd, and appears ready to embark on a new journey. As he states in his newest album, he is ready to be called “By the old, familiar name.” Fans now welcome Abel Tesfaye into the music industry with open arms.
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Jenna Arafeh is a Trinity first-year and a staff writer for Recess.