The Weeknd teases new album in final chapter of ‘After Hours’ / ‘Dawn FM’ trilogy

The Weeknd teases final chapter of After Hours / Dawn FM trilogy with surreal video hinting at new music.

The Weeknd has set the stage for the final chapter of his After Hours / Dawn FM trilogy. Following the announcement of a September concert in Brazil featuring a “never-before-seen production,” he released a video teaser that hints at his upcoming project.

The one-minute clip, posted on Instagram, takes fans on a surreal journey through the last four years of his musical career. It features iconic elements from his previous works: the red suit and sunglasses from “Blinding Lights” and other tracks from his 2020 album After Hours, the old man imagery from Dawn FM, and the hooded characters from his After Hours Til Dawn tour. New visuals include a character wearing a mask resembling The Weeknd’s face and a young boy surrounded by white mannequins. The teaser’s hazy music, with synthesizers and layered Weeknd vocals, suggests remixes of both new and older material.

The video ends with sunlight illuminating the boy’s head, symbolizing a death-redemption-rebirth theme. This ties in with hints The Weeknd dropped in a June 2023 interview with Variety, where he discussed his HBO drama The Idol and hinted at new music. He mentioned, “I’m finishing the third part of this saga, of this trilogy... The name of it will come out soon, but it’s not called what some fans think it’s called.”

The upcoming concert on September 7 at Sao Paulo’s Estádio MorumBIS, produced by Live Nation, promises more revelations. The Weeknd has been largely out of the spotlight since his After Hours Til Dawn tour and his role in The Idol last summer. The North American and European stadium tour played to over 3 million people over two years, and fans seem excited over future prospects for the artist.