Before he was a chart-topping global R&B fixture, The Weeknd was a genre-less electro crooner. The simple, seductive and tastefully sleazy sound of his early work, like his 2011 debut House of Balloons, won him underground plaudits before he graduated to collabs with Drake and became a pop mainstay with 2015’s inescapable bouncy ode to cocaine “Can’t Feel My Face.” He’s proven that he can be both a smooth R&B star and a Top 40 hitmaker, but his newest single finds him comfortably balancing the two.
“After Hours” is the Canadian’s latest single and title track off his upcoming fourth album. The song begins with a static punctuated minimal bassline, redolent of the XX’s early work, before escalating into a steamy club track as he mourns a broken relationship. The lyrics follow familiar Weeknd themes, with somber lines like “Thought I almost died in my dream again // Fightin’ for my life, I couldn’t breathe again” being countervailed with “Girl, I felt so alone inside of this crowded room // Different girls on the floor, distractin’ my thoughts of you.” The Weeknd’s sonic home base is obviously the club, and while the song doesn’t exactly charter new territory, it’s a welcome return for the so-called King of Sex Pop and promising taste of what’s to come.
After Hours will be released on March 20. Listen to the new single above.
The Weeknd, the Canadian R&B singer and recent Uncut Gems co-star, just released another collection with BAPE. Designed in collaboration with the artist’s clothing brand, XO, the new range of gear features a number of winter essentials elevated with striking prints and bold contrast details. Some highlights from the line include a varsity jacket emblazoned with the scribbled XO insignia on the front and a denim jacket that reads “BATHING APE XO TILL WE OVERDOSE,” which is about on-brand as you can get. Remember the Weeknd’s 2015 summer hit about doing so many drugs you can’t feel your face? Additionally, an assortment of graphic t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatpants complete the collection.
Since debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival (where The Weeknd premiered a bold new look), Uncut Gems has already earned glowing reviews. Critics have singled out Adam Sandler’s performance as jewelry dealer Howard Ratner as a career-best for the 53-year old actor, with rumors of an Academy Award nomination already arising. Directed by the Safdie Brothers, the A24 film is a crime thriller that follows a jewelry dealer who gets caught up in high-stakes dealing. Sandler stars alongside Idina Menzel, our Fall ’18 cover star Lakeith Stanfield, and The Weeknd.
Uncut Gems will be released on December 13. Watch the trailer above now.
The Weeknd, the R&B crooner with a beautiful voice and even more beautiful girlfriends, revealed a new look during the Toronto International Film Festival (he’s Canadian). Long known for his beard and dreadlock hairstyle, the artist shaved his signature facial hair to promote his role in the upcoming Uncut Gems which co-stars Adam Sandler. For his new look, The Weeknd opted for a close 5 o’clock shadow trim rather than a clean shave and shaped his mustache for a sophisticated alternative to his traditional beard-style — definitely much more of a 9-5 look than The Weeknd. (Shout out to SZA.) Just shows how a little trim can go a long way.
Last week WWD announced that Virgil Abloh would be starting a residency at Wynn Las Vegas this summer (6/29), joining the ranks of Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera, Bruno Mars, and Janet Jackson who are also dominating the Strip. Now if you’re wondering why Abloh, a part-time DJ, current men’s artistic director at Louis Vuitton, and creative director of Off-White, has a residency, you’re not alone. (I’m a little confused too.) While I don’t doubt his talent in any capacity, I always figured residencies were reserved for more elaborate stage performers rather multi-hyphenate fashion leaders, but this just comes to show how far the evolution of the Vegas show has come. Since the city seems to be drawing in artists in droves, we’ve rounded up some artists who deserve their own residencies in Sin City. Read on.
P!nk
I, like most Australian moms, love Pink. I truly believe she is one of the most talented vocalists of our generation and when she dies you’ll all be sorry. On top of amassing an incredible body of feel-good pop hits over a 20-year career, she’s always performing actual acrobatics in addition to her husky vocal ones (see above). The girl loves to just fly around. Imagine if she had a bigger budget to stage an elaborate Cirque-du-Soleil-style arena pop revue to the soundtrack of some of the greatest mom-rock hits ever? Give her a residency.
The Killers
This one is a little redundant since the band is from Vegas, but I think they’d break the strip if they were given the chance. The band just knows how to do anthemic choruses that throb with a neon glow — nothing drives more straight people to dance floor faster than the opening chords to “Mr. Brightside.” Plus they just know how to put on a show. Give them a residency.
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue is criminally underrated. The Australian pop princess has consistently delivered quality hits and looks across a sequence of eras, from disco to camp to nu-disco to minimal-electronic to yeehaw and back. With a new Greatest Hits collection out tomorrow, Kylie deserves a victory lap in the guise of a stunning high-production Showgirls-meets-Chippendales (listen to ‘Your Disco Needs You’ above and you’ll get what I mean) show in Vegas. Give her a residency.
The Weeknd
For the perfect mix of croony contemporary R&B and Top-40 throwbacks, The Weeknd seems like a perfect candidate for a residency. He surely has the vocal chops to make up for what he lacks in other on-stage histrionics, but given the proper platform I’m positive that the Canadian artist could deliver a captivating show replete with bottle service. Give him a residency.
Lana del Rey
Lana del Rey sings the type of songs that are just begging to be performed while draped over a piano in a sequin gown. Her entire Americana shtick and cinematic style have captivated a global audience that is threaded to her every word, so a minimal show (literally just her, a single spotlight, a piano, and the aforementioned sequin gown) would offer soothing relief to the glitz and commotion of the rest of the city. Give her a residency.
Justin Timberlake
The former N*Sync-er has just the amount of showmanship, talent, and cheese to carry a residency. The versatility to go from sleazy-electro-pop with Timbaland to a No. 1 song for the Trolls soundtrack is something the whole family can enjoy. Give him a residency.
British t-shirt brand Represent, created by brothers Mike and George Heaton, has quickly established itself as a high-end streetwear powerhouse regularly worn by it-people of the moment, including power-couple Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin, The Weeknd, Post Malone, and more. Now, a limited capsule released on Black Friday features model and fashion influencer Luka Sabbat as the face of the campaign.
Using fabrics sourced globally, the exclusive collection extends upon their previous streetwear styles with cargo pants, flannel shirts, and plenty of graphic tees. Special highlights of the collection are vintage-appearing Spirit of Ecstasy t-shirts with a camouflage print matching set.
The collection is available online now. Check out some images from the campaign below.
Streaming really has changed the music world together, with surprise drops no longer even being that much of a surprise — thanks Beyonce! Nevertheless, Canadian superstar The Weeknd has posted a Instagram announcing the release of a new album or EP (allegedly titled Melancholy, My Dear) tonight. The release will be the first since 2016’s Starboy, which was produced with Daft Punk and featured the eponymous number-1 single. We don’t know much else about the upcoming release but it’ll surely include some seductive tunes to take us right into summer. Be sure to check it out later tonight.
Following a highly successful collaboration in March, The Weeknd has dropped its second collection with international fashion retailer H&M. Continuing the brand’s ‘Spring Icon’ series, the latest 18-piece line contains many of the R&B star’s signature emblems, including X’s and O’s patches and prints, while pivoting in a more streetwear and sportswear oriented direction, evident with the increased selection of bomber jackets and hoodies. While the pastel overtones of the duo’s previous collection radiated West Coast chill, the darker hues of the fall collection establish an urban tone with seasonal balance.
The Weekend Collection is available at H&M and online now.
After teasing the masses with behind-the-scenes shots of the “Starboy” himself, H&M unveils its new collection with the Weeknd in all its pastel splendor. Featuring the crooner’s XO signature across the line, the pieces are relaxed and inviting, a simple design meant to compliment the wearer, never overshadow. The images are releasing alongside a dreamy video showcasing the Weeknd’s idealistic west coast vibes.
Image: H&M.
Image: H&M.
Image: H&M.
Image: H&M.
Image: H&M.
Image: H&M.
The Spring Icons collection will be available online beginning March 2, 2017.
Unifying fashion’s intimate relationship with music, H&M announces its Spring Icons collaboration with R&B megastar The Weeknd, with a filmic campaign shot in Downtown Los Angeles. The singer, who is no stranger to fashion collaborations, such as his recent Puma collection, lends his effortless, underground style to H&M’s designs, creating a collection that offers wearability and utility with restrained edge. A light gold bomber with ribbed hems and a classic biker pleather jacket lead the line, standing beside sleek black blazers and a mandarin collar shirt available in cream. Essential items include oversized t-shirts in earthy tones, and black and olive hoodies, offering a relaxed, downplayed streetstyle. “Every piece is both effortless and fresh,” says the singer. “Which is just how menswear should be.”
Representing the artist’s circle of friends, The Weekdn’s signature XO is featured across the collection as an embellished breast pocket and in an enlarged form.
The H&M Spring Icons collection is available in all stores stocking menswear and online now.
This week’s complete social snapshot, distilled for your pleasure.
From the hottest celebrity parties to the regretful morning-after shots, ESSENTIAL HOMME‘s Weekly Instagram Roundup brings all of the hottest designer, model, and trendsetting pics from the week directly to you. After all, no one has time to scroll through anything but the best.
Luke Evans
ESSENTIAL HOMME October/November 2016 cover star Luke Evans shared a first look at his character, the self-obsessed Gaston, from Disney‘s upcoming “Beauty and the Beast” live action film. Not as conceited as the character he portrays, Evans was quick to shout out his trusty sidekick Le Fou as well, played by Josh Gad.
Tom Ford
Fashion icon turned in-demand Hollywood director, Tom Ford was honored this week at the 2016 Wall Street Journal Innovator Awards, following in Angelina Jolie’s footsteps to receive the coveted Film Innovator Award. His latest motion picture endeavor, “Nocturnal Animals,” is gearing up for a cutthroat Oscar race when it premieres in theaters December 9, 2016.
Opening Ceremony
The Weeknd has certainly had a very busy week – from a new Puma collaboration to announcing a massive North American Starboy tour, it’s no surprise that Opening Ceremony, the cool kid’s fashion safe haven, announced that all Starboy tour merch is now available for the masses in-store and online.
will.i.am urged fans to get #buttonedup with the recently released i.am+ BUTTONS bluetooth headphones. Guest starring fashion heavy-hitters like Kendall Jenner, Shaun Ross, and India Love, the metallic-dream video announces a candy-coated followup to the brand’s previous Farfetch collab.
Tommy Hilfiger
After launching the nostalgic Tommy Jeans 2.0 campaign last month, American fashion staple Tommy Hilfiger announced his new book, “American Dreamer: My Life in Fashion and Business,” at a soiree of elbow-rubbing esteem. Cheesing with the one and only Naomi Campbell was only the start of the fun.
Puma ignites the sportswear game once again with its recently launched Run the Streets campaign. Joining a roster of superstar partners, including the long-running collab with music-icon Rihanna, the new images showcase rap it-boy The Weeknd and his streetwise savvy, a natural swagger that is inherited by his accompanying running shoes, a powerful indication of expressive individuality. The campaign’s accompanying collection is built on the backbone of the IGNITE evoKNIT shoe – pictured on the Weeknd and an envious combination of Puma’s running technology and streetwear leanings.
Puma’s Run the Streets collection will be available online November 10, 2016. The IGNITE evoKNIT shoes are available online now.
