The Weeknd Shows Us The ‘Beauty Behind The Madness’ [Album Review]

Last Friday The Weeknd released his third studio album Beauty Behind the Madness. Unlike his previous works Trilogy and Kiss Land, this time around Abel teamed up with the biggest producers to deliver one of his most mainstream projects to date. The album which explores the themes of love, sex, drugs and fame features 14 tracks that take us on a journey behind what The Weeknd calls his “inner-madness”. The album appropriately opens up with the promising tracks “Real Life”, which set the pace for the Weeknd on this melodic journey. Sex and drugs, being two of the central themes not only to this album but to The Weeknds’ image help define the fuse between beauty and madness in this artist’s life. The album can be described as a beautifully, haunting journey to this artist’s’ undeniable truth. On the following tracks, “Tell Your Friends”, “Often” and “The Hills”, The Weeknd bridges the gap between love and lust to which he follows with a vulnerable track title “Acquainted”, the hit single “Can’t Feel My Face” and an emotional and smooth track titled “Shameless”. Abel then picks up the pace with “Earned It”, the singer’s first taste of mainstream success and the Michael Jackson-reminiscent “In The Night”. Aside from Labrinth on the relatable “Losers”, other collaborations include Ed Sheeran on one of the album’s standout tracks “Dark Times” and Lana Del Rey on the Hollywood tell-all “Prisoner”. The album closes on a high note with “Angel”, a hard-hitting track that appropriately closes the project. Overall, Beauty Behind the Madness is a wonderfully produced project that will take The Weeknd’s career to the next level! Being a fan of the Weeknd since 2009, I note the growth that Abel has had since he released his first mixtape House Of Balloons. While fans usually disconnect with their favorite artists upon their transition from underground to mainstream, I’m sure fans will appreciate Abel staying true to himself while appealing to new audiences! Take a journey through The Weeknd’s madness! Check out Beauty Behind the Madness below!

The Weeknd – “Can’t Feel My Face”

The Weeknd – “The Hills”