Music Review:
By Mwaniki Muturi
Pop artist The Weeknd has been on a roll this year, and there doesn’t seem to be any signs of him slowing down. Releasing a slew of hit singles throughout the year leading up to the release of his first #1 album, Beauty Behind the Madness, in late August, the Weeknd has solidified himself as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.
The Weeknd had no easy road to success. Dating back to 2011, the Weeknd became heavily affiliated with hip-hop icon Drake and his label, OVO, releasing several mixtapes before deciding to cut ties and follow a more independent path. The Weeknd signed to Republic Records in 2012, forming a joint venture with his own label XO. Through Republic Records, he released his debut album, Kiss Land, which debuted at #2 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling 96k copies in its first week.
After a successful debut album and tour under his belt, The Weeknd only pushed the bar further. The Weeknd spent summer of 2015 releasing new material that has taken the world by storm. After releasing the first single, “The Hills”, via music video, the Weeknd also showed a creative marketing plan by choosing to debut his second single, “Can’t Feel My Face”, through a live performance at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June, where Apple debuted their new streaming service, Apple Music.
The Weeknd’s second album, Beauty Behind the Madness, was released on August 28. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling over 300k copies in its first week, more than triple the amount that he sold with his debut album. The Weeknd has recently kicked off his Madness Tour, and performed in Worcester’s own DCU Center this week, alongside new hip-hop sensation Travis Scott.
For more information on The Madness Tour, click on the photo below, and check out Beauty Behind the Madness here.
THE AC301 