Sophia Michaels
The Weeknd is constantly making headlines for his love life but the narrative has shifted thanks to his latest album. The singer continues on its reign at the number one spot after releasing his fourth project and music fans around the world are loving it.
A recent report revealed that had it been left up to music executives, The Weeknd’s new release would have been pushed back to avoid the potential pitfalls the coronavirus was expected to produce. Luckily, The Weeknd went with his gut and proved his label wrong.
The Weeknd releases a surprise album
Rumors surfaced that The Weekend would be releasing an album and the singer even teased such on his social media. A short film teaser for the project was released in Feb. 2020, with the release date being announced in advance of the coronavirus hitting the U.S. but many were confused as to whether or not the original date would be honored amid the pandemic. As promised, fans woke up on the morning of Friday, Mar. 20 to his album, After Hours, being available for digital download on streaming platforms.
Fans immediately flocked to their music streaming service subscriptions to see what his newest project was all about. The 14-track release was praised by fans and according to HitsDailyDouble, it was projected to be the largest selling album of his career. All three of his previous full-length albums debuted at the number spot and as estimated, After Hours had the same fate. It sold 444,000 album-equivalent units, including 275,000 in pure album sales.
The album was praised by critics on its creativity and musicality. Pitchfork gave it a 7.5 rating and liked the overall narrative of the album, as well as the multiple personalities the singer displays in a cinematic fashion. “Abel Tesfaye finally delivers on his long-running vision, leveraging a self-loathing villain into an irresistible, cinematic narrative with his most satisfying collision of new wave, dream pop, and R&B,” the review read.
Music execs pushed The Weeknd to postpone his album release because of coronavirus
As it turns out, The Weeknd’s label was not on board to release the album as originally planned. According to TMZ, his label executives were fearful the album would flop due to the lack of marketing opportunities available with television shows halting production amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Other performers delayed the release of their projects but The Weeknd refused. A source told TMZ that The Weeknd was confident in his work and his fans and knew the album was just what the world needed to escape fears and uncertainty from the virus.
He was right and within one day, After Hours was streamed over 100 million times. The singer does not regret his decision and told the media outlet that he released it in hopes of uniting people through music in hard times.
“When I started making this album, I never imagined it would be released as we face a worldwide pandemic. I always felt that music helped me in hard times and I hope that this body of work can do the same for others. t’s been amazing to see the real heroes shine in our world right now, the healthcare workers, the grocery store clerks and staff, delivery people, first responders – everyone putting their lives on the line to help others. This album is for them and any small joy or relief it can bring”
TMZ
The Weeknd is proof that following your first instinct is the way to go!
Written by: CheatSheet
