“The Party and the After Party” is a song that follows a musical and lyrical plot.
The first part of the song is “the party.” This section is very melodic, has a faster tempo, light percussion, an organ sounding synth, and a sample from the pop duo Beach House’s song released in 2006, “Master of None,” which guides the first half along, (Green 1). This is supposed to resemble Tesfaye at a party, finding a girl and wanting to bring her up to a bedroom. “The party,” is light and smooth, and has an uplifting sound as the synths and his voice are all in high ranges. “The after party,” is the second half of the song which has much less percussion, a slower tempo, and more raw vocals. Listeners can hear his breathing and the sounds his mouth makes when singing since the texture becomes so thin. This part is supposed to be Tesfaye alone with a girl doing drugs and having sex with her. His vocals are more strained as most of this part is in the higher range. He sings longingly just over an acoustic guitar riff which highlights the private moment Tesfaye is having with this woman. There is a clear distinction between the smoother, and upbeat sound of the “party,” while the “after party” is more alluring and feels more intimate as there is much less production.
This mirrors some of the tactics used in Michael Jackson’s, “Billie Jean.” In her article, “From Cautionary Chart-Topper to Friendly Beverage Anthem: Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’ and Pepsi’s “Choice of a New Generation” Television Campaign,” Joanna Love introduces “Billie Jean” as a “…cliched tale of the celebrity who falls prey to a dissatisfied ex… which evokes betrayal and lies through a skillful pairing of poetic lyrics with harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic instabilities,” (Love 184). The switches in modes and keys create a nervous tension and mimic the “contradicting testimonies between Jackson and his accuser,” (Love 186). Jackson has specific musical elements corresponding with the plot of the song just as The Weeknd does. The nervous energy of Michael Jackson’s, “Billie Jean,” resembles the buoyant spirit of “the party” and the intimate energy of “the after party.” Their music feels more like an experience as the energy builds and changes throughout their songs reflecting their story lines. Michael Jackson’s impact is apparent in The Weeknd’s plot inspired lyrics.