The Weeknd - After Hours / SBLV Halftime Show

I don't think it's meant to overtly be the Grammys, but it's implied that he's pissing in their faces (likely a reference to that Kanye video) before it's revealed to be him popping a bottle of champagne and brandishing a massive gold trophy which he then throws to the side.

 

I imagine so. It plays into the lyrics to "Escape from L.A."

 

I get that, I just mean the overall setting and lyrics about seeing a past lover dancing. I don’t know much about his personal life though or that relationship’s real timeline

 

He started the campaign with the bleeding nose and with each single/performance he started adding more bruises and bandages culminating in this "reconstructed" face but I also don't really get what it means.

 

Drunk driving.
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/9488667/the-weeknd-bandaged-face-2020-amas-explainer

 

If it turned out Abel saw all those Handsome Squidward memes and thought "I might as well" I would not be surprised ddd

 

He’s serving me major Jack Nicholson as The Joker vibes. What a flawless campaign.

 

We love a gherl with a storyline!

 

I really thought he would take the prosthetics off to reveal it was somebody else entirely nn

 

I can't get over the prosthetics, they're even more unsettling in 4K

 

This has been an exceptional campaign for an exceptional album. Holy shit.

 

Jocelyn Weekndstein.

 

This needs to smash, not only because it is amazing, but because I still need a rain-drenched, futuristic, Blade Runner-inspired video for Hardest to Love.

Of course, Blinding Lights would get a second wind just as he's releasing the video for this ddd

 

After Hours has provided some incredible multimedia projects. He deserves every bit of praise.

 

Not locals thinking he actually got plastic surgery

Also screaming

 

Miss Weeknd & Dua Lipa really did give all of us homosexicals the proper pop campaign that we deserve.

What an era.

 

I'm so in love with this era. I just wish the actual album was better. It doesn't really fulfil the entire new wave fantasy that the singles lean into. I love that the bruises and bandages in the beginning eluded more to him being some sort of cliche gangster character that slowly got more and more bandaged to reveal the plastic surgery. It feels very in line with his usual commentary/symbolism on Hollywood and celebrity but taking it to a new level.

I was also thinking before about before he came back there were photos of him at a film premiere with his new hair and different facial hair and all the reports/Twitter reactions were how he looked completely unrecognisable and had a weird tone to them.