The Weeknd’s Dawn FM transported me back to the ’80s, and I F*cking Love It.

Image Courtsey: The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye © Brian Ziff

“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. But what's the rush? Just relax and enjoy another hour of commercial-free music on 103.5 Dawn FM. Stay tuned…”

The Weeknd’s new album Dawn FM is an ode to 80’s electro-pop, highlighting plenty of his signature lyrics. Its structure holds that of a radio station, narrated by Jim Carrey and featuring eighteen tracks. Guest vocals include Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, and Quincy Jones. Every song blends into the next with seamless transitions when listened to in its entirety. His ethereal voice takes you through the ominous motif of the album—the afterlife.

For OG fans, it becomes immediately obvious that this album is a step in a completely new direction. While Abel Tesfaye is known for an alternative R&B style, prominent from Trilogy to Beauty Behind the Madness, he has slowly transitioned into a pop star due to a growing following. His peak, so far, has been mega-hit “Blinding Lights.” Although, mixed emotions came about the album's release, some praising his style expansion while others questioned the change in direction.

Producers such as Calvin Harris, Metro Boomin, and Swedish House Mafia lent their skills to this album, hence the heavy dance influence. Lyrically, Abel stayed true to himself with the same somber vibe we all know and love. Remaining on trend with the rest of his music, he makes heartbreak and infidelity sound beautiful.

After the intro, he jumps into "Gasoline," "How Do I Make You Love Me?," "Take My Breath," and "Sacrifice." These dance-heavy songs are perfect for late-night drives or pre-gaming; their retro feels make you think you should've been an ‘80s baby. Or at least it does for me—the production team did a great job with that part. As for the Weeknd himself, it's clear that Michael Jackson was a major influence, not only on this album but in general. More prominent in his recent albums, Abel's melodic voice is soothing to the ear, just like Jackson’s once was.

Following an interlude called "A Tale By Quincy," featuring music legend Quincy Jones (the producer for Michael Jackson’s Thriller), the album blends into the track "Out of Time." On "Here We Go… Again," featuring Tyler, the Creator, Abel reflects on his life in recent times, mentioning his iconic Super Bowl LV performance and other recent successes. Most notably, however, is when he mentions his new girl, who many believe to be movie star Angelina Jolie, singing, “My new girl, she a movie star,” while allegedly dissing his ex, supermodel Bella Hadid. Going into "Best Friends," he talks about not wanting a romantic relationship with his bestie, but then backtracks with a beautiful transition into the next song, "Is There Someone Else?" Personally, "Is There Someone Else?" is my fav, as it stayed true to his XO roots. He continues to mimic this style in "Starry Eyes," which is basically about him simping over another woman. Although his lyrics have always been a little toxic, you just can’t help but fall in love with this man.

The album then goes into a commercial break during "Every Angel is Terrifying" while strangely promoting a fake project called "Afterlife." Hinting on Twitter that he is in the process of another trilogy, fans are suspecting "Afterlife" will be his next album release. "Don’t Break My Heart" is like the "Save Your Tears” sequel, both mentioning his fixation on someone he knew at the club. Speaking of "Save Your Tears," TikTok assumes that "I Heard You’re Married" is about Ariana Grande. Although the two have no romantic relationship known to the public, they have repeatedly demonstrated their musical chemistry as some of the most defining voices of our century.

His most depressing song is probably "Less Than Zero," ironically sounding pretty upbeat. He sings about trying but not being able to handle a relationship, with lyrics that read, “You tried your best with me, I know / I couldn't face you with my darkest truth of all” and “I try to hide it, but I know you know me / I try to fight it, but I'd rather be free.” Jim Carrey returns on "Phantom Regret" in the album's conclusion. He asks pretty big questions about life, undoubtedly setting up anticipation for Abel's next album. Finally, he gives listeners a farewell with, “You gotta be Heaven to see Heaven. May peace be with you.”

Strike Out,

Emily Fiorini-Casamayouret

Boca Raton

Emily Fiorini-Casamayouret is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys listening to sad music, doing some retail therapy, and eating pasta. You can reach her at emily.fiorini710@gmail.com