T he world right now feels topsy-turvy, filled with cancellations , closures and postponements. But for musicians, the new music releases — if not the shows themselves — must go on. His take, however, feels thoroughly modern. At the moment, that feels right. They used to broadcast these Diesis Live sessions from, say, the top of a volcano — but circumstances, for now, have changed. Yes, you read that right: this is a new single from Spice Girl Melanie C. You might remember her as Sporty Spice. Pop stars are constantly grappling with image and persona, but with maturity comes the clarity to choose which of those selves to present. It looks like Melanie C has made her choice. Perfume Genius — the Seattle-based artist Mike Hadreas — has a way with shimmering, gentle alt-pop that teeters on the edge of pain.
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The best Weeknd songs reveal how that happened. Tesfaye threw his hat in the ring in , and his voice fit the track like a glove. The black-and-white music video lends narrative to the loneliness as well, with The Weeknd singing to the camera with a mostly barren background. The moments between night and morning seem to be a blur, marked by ambiguous lyrics and braggadocious references. The lifestyle may be out of our element but, for him, this is just another day. The song hit No. This Grammy-winning single took the radio by storm in The accompanying NSFW visual both matched the provocative film and intensely carnal nature of the song. The downtempo single lays bare a narrative in which Tesfaye intends to sleep with a girl, but is thinking of someone else.
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The Weeknd dropped three outstanding mixtapes back in , 'House Of Balloons,' 'Thursday' and 'Echoes Of Silence,' all of which were eventually remastered for his compilation album 'Trilogy. Together with his album 'Kiss Land' and other songs, some created for movie soundtracks, The Weeknd's track record in producing amazing music is second to none. The first track on 'House Of Balloons,' the first of The Weeknd's iconic trio of mixtapes, sets the scene for what to expect from Abel's unique sound. This 'Beauty Behind The Madness' track hears The Weeknd find himself wanting a woman for more than just sex and although he scares away from admitting he's "in love," he is very pleased the two are "acquainted". The Weeknd and Drake teamed up for their first collaboration on 'The Zone' - seven full minutes of the two Canadian artists singing about sipping and strippers. If it was released in , would it have been a number one single? On 'Montreal', The Weeknd sings to the girl that slipped through his fingers. If you need a break from The Weeknd's dark and moody signature sound, give the more uptempo 'Wanderlust' a go.
If you think about it, nothing about The Weeknd should make sense. He's the most NSFW household name in the pop game. He appeals to the devil in all of us, and it feels so good. People often compare the Canadian anti-crooner to Michael Jackson , and that's never been more fair than on his latest LP Starboy, but his genius goes way farther back. Impressively, he's done it with hardly any features. The Weeknd is proof that, no matter what you mom tells you, there is something glamorous in being young and reckless.
