So why do we care?
In the pursuit of honoring all of his inspirations, The Weeknd has created a whole new sound which allows him to be successful on hip hop, R&B, and pop charts. His Michael Jackson inspired, high tenor vocals are starkly contrasted by his dreary, drug related lyrics. As depressing as his words may be, The Weeknd still manages to captivate his audience.
Here are some interesting comments writers and critics have about The Weeknd’s music:
“Pleasure centered nightmare,” “intoxicating indulgence,” (Patrick 1).
“…guilty pleasure-you felt uncomfortable eavesdropping on The Weeknd’s druggy, sexually ravenous demimonde while being awed by the soundtrack’s terrible beauty,” (Lester 3).
More importantly, he encompasses an important social function of music. He gives shape and voice to emotions that are hard to express, (Frith 265). He gives voice to males, drug abusers, and those battling depressing. He is not afraid to talk about the harmful effects of drugs and the way he abuses them to mask his feelings and low self confidence. This vulnerable side of The Weeknd allows the listeners to connect with him on a much more intimate level. Like punk groups did for rebellious teens, or Brockhampton did for LGBTQ audiences, The Weeknd provides a safe space for those going through troubling times.