After Hours The Story

AFTER HOURS THE STORY

It’s been almost one and a half year since After Hours by The Weeknd came out and upon endless re-visits to the record, its only grown on me more and more. There is no song on the project that I skip or dislike even a little. Each track stands out on its own with a distinctive style and sounds even better according to my mood. Sometimes it’s Heartless which is on loop and sometimes it’s After Hours. But there is a different experience which comes from listening to it from front to back. Through After Hours, The Weeknd is trying to tell a story. Each track perfectly transitions into the next one and fits the narrative beautiful. It’s like taking a trip into the dark and gritty mind of The Weeknd and watching the story unfold is a crazy ride.

After sitting with album for a long time here’s my version of the how the movie of this album would look like:

Scene 1: Alone and Dazed (The first scene is made up of the first four tracks and has a melancholic and remorseful undertone to it. )

• A heartbroken Weeknd is sitting in a dark room and all we see is his shadow sitting on a chair with a drink in his hand. He’s alone in this dimly lit room, contemplating about his life, his decision and why he’s alone. The scare of an Overdose looms over his head as he dives deeper into his sadness. (Alone Again)

• As he keeps sipping his drink he comes to the realisation that it’s too late to save him from his vices. He keeps on trying to move beyond superficial relationships and have a deep meaningful relationship with someone but that doesn’t happen. It’s way too late for him to save this relationship (Too Late)

• The Weeknd realises that it’s hard to love a man who’s battling his own demons. His longing for this relationship to work is not going to result in anything other than another heartbreak because he’s hard to love. It’s his fault that the relationship ended and he’s the one who needs to work on himself (Hardest To Love)

• Even though it’s not the easiest thing to do but The Weeknd decides to let this girl go. He can’t hurt her or himself anymore and the time has come that they both learn to live without each other. He’s scared to live again but he’s going to try to be better. (Scared to Live)

We see a faint smile on The Weeknd’s face as he finishes his drink and moves towards the window.

Scene 2: The Realization ( The second scene is made up of the songs 5 and 6, as The Weeknd contemplates his life and his decisions)

• Staring outside the window, The Weeknd is thinking about his journey. He goes into a flashback of everything that he’s achieved till now, from where he’s come and where he has reached. As the memories fade away, he’s hit with anxious feeling of not wanting to be here anymore. Even though he has everything he wants to go back. He’s accomplished his mission but now he wants to leave. (Snowchild)

• He’s slipping back into the thoughts of his partner and gets reminders of her indefinitely. The Weeknd is no saint in the department as he cheated back on her. which he keeps getting flashbacks of. Surrounded by the unending guilt his dark sides takes complete control of him. (Escape From LA)

He steps out of the room, dones his red suit and is ready to take on the night.

Scene 3: The Night of Debauchery ( The third scene comprises track 7 and 8. The bangers keep going into the direction of sadness as the end of the night approaches)

• Smack bang into the glitz and glam of Hollywood, we’re now in The Weeknd’s playground. He’s back to his hendonistic behaviour. The constant need to prove to himself that he’s heartless make him go on a binge and back to his crazy party lifestyle. In the middle of all this he keeps getting flashbacks of her which makes him take even more (Heartless)

• The party grows wilder as The Weeknd is taking everything that he can see. Every drug in sight is his and he keeps on taking them to get rid of this feeling inside him. The Weeknd succumbs to an impending overdose. His eyes close and he can faintly see the lights of an ambulance approaching him. (Faith)

The Weeknd is being rushed inside the ambulance on a stretcher as his eyes slowly start to close.

Scene 4: Blinding Lights/ The Ride to the hospital

• As the synths grow wilder the paramedics are leaving no stone unturned in saving The Weeknd. The ambulance is rushing towards the hospital and The Weeknd is fighting for every breath. The Weeknd can no longer keep his eyes open and drifts off in a deep sleep. (Blinding Lights)

Scene 5: The Dream ( the fifth scene comprises of the songs 10, 11 and 12. The songs are glossy as The Weeknd is drifting into an unending dream)

• The Weeknd has slipped off into a dream where he finds himself in the same party as the girl he was thinking about. She’s dancing with someone else and she looks very happy with the person. Seeing this The Weeknd makes his move and advances towards her. (In Your Eyes)

• Upon seeing him, she runs out with tears in her eyes. The Weeknd chases her outside and starts talking to her. (Save Your Tears)

• The Weeknd makes his moves and starts to manipulate the woman with his words. He asks her to follow his lead and repeat after him that she’s in love with him. (Repeat After Me)

As the song comes to an end The Weeknd wakes up and finds himself in the hospital. Realising that it was all a dream The Weeknd is shattered and walks out of the hospital.

Scene 6: The Coming Down ( the sixth scene comprises of the final two songs. The Weeknd is coming down from his trip. He is bruised and broken)

• The Weeknd realises that he almost died in this chaotic incident. He almost killed himself in this relapse. This isn’t stopping The Weeknd from going after her. Everything he does from here on will just make him regret his decision. The Weeknd can’t change himself and his ways. He needs to get rid of this feeling. (After Hours)

• Everything comes full circle as we find him sitting in his room again. He realises that the only think left for him to do is to cut her out of his. He also needs to cut his oldself out of his life. Until he bleeds his past out he can’t change. At the end of it all we find him sitting, he’s ALONE AGAIN (Until I Bleed Out)

Now while this is my interpretation of this album, as it is with all forms of art, everything is open to individual interpretation. Others may see a different story, or see no narrative at all. Regardless, this record is one of the best albums that Ive ever heard. Let me know what’s your interpretation of After Hours and what you think about mine. Here’s a link to album if you want to check it out.