By DREW
Introduction
“Is There Someone Else” on The Weeknd’s Dawn FM, begins with one of the most recognizable beats off the album, followed by lyrics of Abel inquiring about the loyalty of his lover. He already knows the truth of the matter, beginning his argument with “I know that you’re hiding something from me” (Tesfaye, 2022, 0:30). His objective is to convince the opposing side that he wants “to be with [them] for forever” (Tesfaye, 2022, 1:49). Obviously, he cannot do this if there is another person vying for her love, therefore it is imperative that he find the underlying cause of this debacle.
Neo-Aristotelian Method
To analyze the effectiveness of Abel’s plea, it is appropriate to call upon the Neo-Aristotelian method of criticism. According to Edwin Black, Neo-Aristotelianism includes the “the classification of ‘proofs’ into logical, pathetic, and ethical; the assessment of the discourse in the categories of invention, arrangement, delivery, and style;” and an evaluation of the speech’s overall effectiveness towards its immediate audience (Black, 1965, as cited in Burgchardt & Jones, 2017, p. 43). The analysis will use these steps to determine the effectiveness of the artifact being examined. This specific analysis will focus on the latter two of the proofs: the pathos and ethos.
Analysis
Using pathos is the ability to influence the audience’s emotions. Abel uses this through creative word construction, as seen when he begs the question, “are you hurting him or are you hurting me?” (1:10). Firstly, this fills the opposing side with tremendous amounts of guilt, since they are in fact, hurting both parties involved; secondly, this leaves his lover trapped into admitting that they are in fact cheating, by implying the deed is already done. Abel then uses other clear phrases that appeal to the pathos, such as “I don’t wanna lose my spot…If I ain’t with you, I don’t wanna be” (1:05). This plays further into the sorrow and guilt of his lover.
The ethos involves the credibility of the rhetor. The Weeknd is using definitive terminology, meaning he claims to know exactly what the situation is. He claims to know what is happening because he “used to be the one who was lying” (0:50). Because of this admittance, Abel establishes more credibility, claiming he has knowledge of the situation because he also lied. He elaborates saying, “I don’t deserve someone loyal to me…And I don’t want to be a prisoner to who I used to be” (1:27). Abel is willing to smear his own name, to establish credibility in terms of understanding the situation.
Burgchardt, C. R., & Jones, H. A. (2017). Readings in rhetorical criticism. Strata Publishing, Inc.
Tesfaye, A. (2022). Is There Someone Else. On Dawn FM. Los Angeles: XO .Republic.
Introduction
“Here We Go…Again,” featuring Tyler, The Creator, ranks third on The Weeknd’s Dawn FM album (Mamo, 2022). It stands at the midpoint of the album, previewed by Jim Carrey in the previous song, "Out of Time," stating, “Here’s 30 minutes of easy listening to some slow tracks, on 103.5 Dawn FM” (Tesfaye, 2022, 0:06). Unlike many other songs on the album, the lyrics do not play into the portrayal of a purgatorial stage in the afterlife. Rather, The Weeknd appears to reflect on accomplishments from his past year, as well as an affair with a movie star, which may go unnoticed by the average listener (someone who hears the song on a commute to work).
The Fourth Persona
The implied audience, or second persona, is the public, meaning anyone who listens to the Dawn FM album. However, there is another audience, the fourth persona, who have knowledge about The Weeknd and his history in the limelight. Overall, the fourth persona is, “a collusive audience constituted by the textual wink” (Morris, 2002, as cited in Burgchardt & Jones, 2017, p. 621). In some instances, the fourth persona holds a secret from the rhetor; they “know the truth and remain silent about it” (Morris, 2002, as cited in Burgchardt & Jones, 2017, p. 621). The Weeknd also utilizes the fourth persona in this way as well.
Analysis
The Weeknd opens “Here We Go…Again” with the lyrics, “Strike a pose with my kinfolk…Front page of that billboards…Suit and tie and cigar smokes” (Tesfaye, 2022, 0:14). Ordinarily, the average listener would not understand what Abel is referencing here, other than him living an extravagant lifestyle. However, Abel is referencing the picture of him and his counterparts whom he has known him since he was young, which made the front page of Billboard magazine. The photo includes La’mar Taylor, Wasim “Sal” Slaiby, and Amir “Cash” Esmailian, all of whom can be considered part of the fourth persona (Billboard Staff, 2021).
A more recognizable nod to the fourth persona comes later when Abel sings, “We still celebrating Superbowl” (Tesfaye, 2022, 0:26). This is a reference to The Weeknd’s Pepsi Superbowl Halftime show at Raymond James Stadium, back in 2021. However, the most obscure “wink” that Abel gives in the song is his line, “My new girl, she a movie star” (Tesfaye, 2022, 1:12). Many fans speculate that Abel is referencing a rumored relationship between him and the actor, Angelina Jolie (Grebenyuk, 2022). While their relationship has never been confirmed, someone in the audience knows the secret.
"Front page of that Billboard."
"We still celebrating Superbowl."
"My new girl, she a movie star."
Billboard Staff. (2021). The Weeknd: Photos From The Billboard Cover Shoot. Billboard. Retrieved November 3rd, 2022,
https://www.billboard.com/photos/the-weeknd-photos-billboard-cover-shoot/
Burgchardt, C. R., & Jones, H. A. (2017). Readings in rhetorical criticism. Strata Publishing, Inc.
Grabenyuk, Y. (2022). Angelina Jolie Is the ‘Ultimate Muse’ for The Weeknd Amid Romance Rumors: ‘She Certainly Has Inspired Him’. Retrieved November 3rd, 2022, https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/angelina-jolie-is-ultimate-muse-for-the-weeknd-amid-romance-rumors/
Mamo, H. (2022, January 10). Every song on The weeknd's 'dawn fm' album, ranked: Critic's Picks. Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2022,
from https://www.billboard.com/music/reviews/the-weeknd-dawn-fm-tracks-ranked-critics-picks-1235016486/
Tesfaye, A. (2022). Here We Go...Again. On Dawn FM. Los Angeles: XO .Republic.
Tesfaye, A. (2022). Out of Time. On Dawn FM. Los Angeles: XO . Republic.
Introduction
There are two levels to The Weeknd’s Dawn FM album, both of which address different challenges the audience can relate to. On a shallow level, The Weeknd depicts relationship struggles in his lyrics. There is a progression in those lyrics from being a “Starry Eye[d]” lover, to viewing his former lover as “Less Than Zero.” While the topic does hold some deep substance, The Weeknd uses a deeper level to make the audience think more in depth about their situation. As was established in previous blogs, The Weeknd is trying to portray a purgatorial state of the afterlife. This is included as part of the second, deeper layer of meaning in Dawn FM.
Listen Here
Method
One could argue from the lyrics that The Weeknd is trying to encourage his audience to consider what is truly important in life. In a culture that is so absorbed in image and superficial belongings, the lyrics awaken the audience to understand that those obsessions are fleeting. To further analyze the impact the album has on the audience, it is appropriate to use a critical rhetorical analysis. This analysis uses “scholarship as a means to bring about social change and promote equality” (Burgchardt & Jones, 2017, p. 517). In this situation, the focus is more on promoting social change regarding understanding what society should deem important. This method also “addresses how power is assigned and exercised in society” (Burgchardt & Jones, 2017, p. 517). This specific artifact uses an evaluation of the power that mundane possessions and image hold over humanity.
Analysis
Jim Carrey’s role as the omniscient spiritual figure throughout the album addresses the hedonism that many people fall into. In “Phantom Regret by Jim,” he says, “Now that all future plans have been postponed, and it's time to look back on the things you thought you owned, do you remember them well? Were you high or just stoned?” (Tesfaye, 2022, 0:30). Carrey is poking fun at the things that people owned and put all their hope in, which no longer hold any value when they are “out of time,” a phrase seen frequently throughout the album. He even taunts the ability to remember those earthly belongings, due the fact that people avoid their reality using drugs.
The Weeknd provides an alternative to a hedonistic lifestyle, through Jim Carrey’s monologue. Carrey states, “consider the flowers, they don’t try to look right…they just open their pedals and turn to the light” (Tesfaye, 2022, 1:54). He adds that “You don’t reach for bliss…You gotta unwind your mind, train your soul to align” (Tesfaye, 2022, 2:09). It is evident that Abel is promoting the idea of reaching for eternal finish lines. If one aligns their soul with the light, that is something which cannot be taken away. Carrey concludes by stating, “You gotta be Heaven, to see Heaven” (Tesfaye, 2022, 2:38). Meaning unless someone aligns their soul, pursuing an eternal purpose, only then they can enter Heaven.
(Tesfaye, 2022, 1:54).
References
Burgchardt, C. R., & Jones, H. A. (2017). Readings in rhetorical criticism. Strata Publishing, Inc.
Tesfaya, A. (2022). Phantom Regret by Jim. On Dawn FM. Los Angeles: XO . Republic.
The Weeknd’s second most popular song on his Dawn FM album, “Out of Time” is an exceptionally smooth, “super-sleek” song, until it is abruptly interrupted by the earie tone of Jim Carrey (Mamo, 2022). It has already been established in earlier journal entries that Jim Carrey plays the role of an omniscient, spiritual being. He uses the lyrics in the song to portray that the character of The Weeknd is experiencing something far more important than an enjoyable song. This means that the lyrics of the song hold much more weight.
Close Text Analysis
To understand the lyrics from Abel's song, as well as Jim Carrey’s post-song monologue, it is appropriate to use a close text analysis. A close text analysis “aims to reveal and explicate the precise, often hidden, mechanisms that animate a text artistically and rhetorically” (Burgchardt & Jones, 2017, p. 148). To do the analysis, it requires a very technical analyzation of the exact words and lyrics used by the author. The analysis must examine the voice and intended audience, as well as the structure and patterns, metaphors, and imagery of the text. (Simpson)
Analysis
First, the song itself must be analyzed before the interruption of Jim Carrey. The title of the song, “Out of Time,” is very appropriate regarding the rest of the album. The character of The Weeknd, is out of time, because he has died and is now in a purgatorial state. The Weeknd realizes that he has “been so cold to the ones who loved [him]” (Tesfaye, 2022, 0:34). He uses the terminology of looking back, directly after this quote, which can be connected to the song right before “Out of Time,” “A Tale by Quincy,” in which Quincy Adams states “Looking back is a bitch, isn’t it?” (Tesfaye, 2022, 0:06). That is the whole purpose of this purgatory, to “look back on things you thought you owned,” as stated by Jim Carrey in “Phantom Regret by Jim” (Tesfaye, 2022, 0:31). While the songs itself is about the loss of a previous girlfriend, it carries a much deeper meaning in the context of the album.
The interruption by Jim Carrey, makes the deeper meaning much more obvious. He orders, “Don’t you dare touch that dial, because like the song says, you are out of time” (Tesafaye, 2022, 0:33). This statement gives the whole song a completely different meaning, despite it initially sounding like a typical song about a broken heart. Carrey adds on, saying “Soon you’ll be healed, forgiven, and refreshed, free from all trauma, guilt, and shame” (Tesfaye, 2022, 0:18). This is significant because earlier in the song Abel states, “there’s so much trauma in my life” (Tesfaye, 2022, 0:27). The word “trauma” is used in both The Weekend’s lyrics and Jim Carrey’s, linking the song and radio monologue to each other.
After a close-text analysis, it is clear to see that the word choice Abel uses is very calculated and significant. While it may seem like a prototypical heart break song, the interruption by Jim Carrey calls for a closer look at the word choice. After further analysis, it is evident that the song not only links to the radio interruption, but also the theme of the album. The theme of a purgatorial phase of the afterlife.
Jim Carrey is featured in The Weeknd's music video for the hit, "Out of Time." Watch Here.
Burgchardt, C. R., & Jones, H. A. (2017). Readings in rhetorical criticism. Strata Publishing, Inc.
Mamo, H. (2022, January 10). Every song on The weeknd's 'dawn fm' album, ranked: Critic's Picks. Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2022,
from https://www.billboard.com/music/reviews/the-weeknd-dawn-fm-tracks-ranked-critics-picks-1235016486/
Simpson , E. (n.d.). Connections: Documents. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from
https://www.eriksimpson.sites.grinnell.edu/Connections/Documents/
Tesfaye, A. (2022). A Tale by Quincy. On Dawn FM. Los Angeles: XO . Republic.
Tesfaye, A. (2022). Out of Time. On Dawn FM. Los Angeles: XO . Republic.
Tesfaya, A. (2022). Phantom Regret by Jim. On Dawn FM. Los Angeles: XO . Republic.
Introduction/Description
The world of music has many different genres, of which most artists tend to fit into only one or two. For example, country or hip-hop artists tend to stick with their one genre, as opposed to branching out and experimenting with new categories of music. This is likely because the artists achieve enough success and support from the fanbase in the genre they are already identified with. Perhaps, transitioning to something new could be a fatal move for the artist’s professional career. However, it is difficult to box some artists into a specific genre, such as The Weeknd.
Genre Criticism
As opposed to using the specific album Dawn FM as the single artifact for analyzation, examining The Weeknd himself as the artifact seems appropriate and will also lead to a better understanding of the album. Genre criticism will be used to discover which genre The Weeknd’s music belongs in, if any. “Genre criticism must examine multiple texts in order to draw conclusions about categories of rhetoric” (Burgchardt & Jones, 2017, p. 421). Therefore, one must examine several artifacts from The Weeknd, in order to categorize his music. To do so, generic participation will be used, which involves discovering which artifacts participate in genres (Genre Criticism Slides).
Release: November 13, 2012
Genre: R&B/soul
Release: November 25, 2016
Genre: Electropop
Release: March 20, 2020
Genre: R&B/new wave/dream pop
Analysis
The Weeknd jumped into the spotlight with the release of his first album, House of Balloons, considered to be an R&B/Soul album. R&B, short for rhythm and blues, “describes a style of music that developed after World War II that combines elements of pop, gospel, blues and jazz with a strong back beat” (Rhythm and Blues, Library of Congress). However, Abel’s Starboy album delves into a completely different artistic tone, which is hard to categorize. While still including maintaining some R&B qualities, the album is considered more electropop, featuring Daft Punk on a number of tracks. In fact, the music video for “Starboy,” the first track on the album, features The Weeknd killing a different version of himself. This act is believed to be symbolic of “The Weeknd destroying his past, getting rid of everything” from his previous albums (Reilly, 2016).
Dawn FM, considered to be under the genre of dance/electronic, is just another example of The Weeknd failing to fit into a specific category. The U.S. Sun states, “The Weeknd isn’t pigeonholed into a specific musical genre, though he is sometimes lumped into hip-hop and R&B. However, his music deifies categorization” (Castro, 2022). From rap-like songs such as “Reminder,” to synthwave (80’s like), electronic songs like his hit “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd’s music is unpredictable and cannot be covered by a specific genre. Perhaps, someday it will be a genre of its own.
References
Burgchardt, C. R., & Jones, H. A. (2017). Readings in rhetorical criticism. Strata Publishing, Inc.
Castro, A. (2022, January 5). What genre is the weeknd? The US Sun. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/4403572/what-genre-is-the-weeknd/
Reilly, K. (2016, September 28). The Weeknd's "Starboy" Video Is Really Intense . Bustle. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://www.bustle.com/articles/186671-what-does-the-weeknds-starboy-music-video-mean-there-are-a-lot-of-images-to-comb
Rhythm and Blues. The Library of Congress. (n.d.). Retrieved October 14, 2022,
from https://www.loc.gov/collections/songs-of-america/articles-and-essays/musical-styles/popular-songs-of-the-day/rhythm-and-blues/Reilly, K.
Introduction
"A Tale by Quincy," on The Weeknd's Dawn FM is the first of two tracks entirely taken up by a monologue. It features the prominent music and television producer, Quincy Jones, best-known for producing Michael Jackson's Thriller Album (Biography.com Editors, 2022). The track somewhat seems to interrupt the overall flow of the album, which makes one question its significance. The main reason Jones is likely featured on the album, is that The Weeknd looks to him as an inspiration. At the Black Music Action Coalition's 1st-annual Music in Action Awards, Abel, after receiving the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award, claimed Jones is "the reason why I do this" (Armstrong, 2021). While it is understandable that The Weeknd would feature Jones in his album, the question must be asked of whether or not Quincy's storytelling fits into the plot of the rest of the album.
Narrative Paradigm
In order to conclude whether or not Quincy Jones' storytelling is effective to the overall comprehension of the album, narrative criticism will be used. According to Foss, "narratives organize the stimuli of our experiences so that we can make sense of people, places, events, and actions of our lives" (Foss, 2009, p. 307). In this instance the focus will be on a better understanding of The Weeknd's album as a whole through the track, "A Tale by Quincy." The narrative paradigm focuses on two main principles of the storytelling: its coherence and fidelity (such as credibility/reliability) (The Narrative Paradigm, 2014).
Coherence
The storyline of Dawn FM focuses on the purgatorial state of The Weeknd's character throughout the album (see October 2nd, 2022 entry). The track being analyzed, "A Tale by Quincy," while transitioning smoothly between songs, disrupts the overall plot-line, leaving the listener somewhat confused. It strays away from the radio broadcast being portrayed in the album, only giving the audience insight into Jones' troubled childhood and relationships. Even the storytelling itself is not very coherent, as the speaker commences without any introduction and discusses several issues of which he does not conclude before moving onto the next. These factors do not help the overall structure of the album's narrative. However, Jones does conclude by saying, "Looking back is a bitch, isn't it?" (Tesfaye, 2022). This statement does connect to the overall purgatorial narrative of the album, by emphasizing the act of looking back. In "Phantom Regret by Jim," the omniscient radio broadcaster inquires "Now that all future plans have been postponed, and it's time to look back on the things you thought you owned, do you remember them well?" (Tesfaye, 2022). This is a significant resemblance between the track being analyzed and the rest of the album.
Fidelity
With the coherence of the story accounted for, one must then look at the fidelity. In the case of this specific artifact, the reliability of the facts and the story itself are not as important as the credibility of the story and the author. The fact that Quincy Jones is a renowned music producer, working with the likes of Michael Jackson, as well as being The Weeknd's inspiration for performing, is enough credibility for being featured on the album. To the intended audience that understands The Weeknd's inspiration, this track holds much more value because the audience understands the significance of the author, Quincy Jones. Therefore, the story holds meaning based off the credibility of the rhetor.
While "A Tale by Quincy" may hold significant weight due to the impact Quincy Jones has on The Weeknd, the track provides little support in regards to the rest of the album narrative. The track does have a correlations which can be drawn between it and the radio broadcast, but does not help the audience make sense of the overall album. In fact, it confuses rather than clarifies.
Armstrong, S. (2021, September 24). The Weeknd shares how Quincy Jones changed his life during music in action awards. uDiscover Music. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/the-weeknd-bmac-music-in-action-awards/
Biography.com Editors. (2022, January 4). Quincy Jones. Biography.com. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.biography.com/musician/quincy-jones
Burgchardt, C. R., & Jones, H. A. (2017). Readings in rhetorical criticism. Strata Publishing, Inc.
Foss, S. K. (2018). Rhetorical criticism: Exploration and practice. Waveland Press, Inc.
Tesfaya, A. (2022). A Tale by Quincy. On Dawn FM. Los Angeles: XO . Republic
Tesfaya, A. (2022). Phantom Regret by Jim. On Dawn FM. Los Angeles: XO . Republic.
The narrative paradigm. Communication Theory. (2014, July 7). Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.communicationtheory.org/the-narrative-paradigm/
"Heaven is for those who let go of regret
And you have to wait here when you're not all there yet" (Phantom Regret by Jim, Dawn FM).
Introduction
Phantom Regret by Jim, the final track on The Weeknd's Dawn FM, is one of two tracks on the album that contains a monologue as opposed to a typical "song". The track is narrated in an ominous but comforting tone by actor Jim Carrey, which is backed by The Weeknd's haunting vocals. The purpose of this track is to give the audience a hint of what The Weeknd is trying to portray in his unique album experience. It is noticeable that from this specific monologue, the album is trying to portray something deeper than enjoyable music. This can be assumed, because people do not tend to listen to album monologues for enjoyment. So the question remains: what is The Weeknd trying to portray to his audience in Jim Carrey's monologue?
Metaphoric Criticism
In order to decipher the true meaning of the album from Phantom Regret by Jim, Metaphoric Criticism will be used. Metaphors are used to portray significance and create meaning from the rhetor. They may also "provide insight into a speaker's motives or an audience's social reality" (Burgchardt & Jones, 2017). There are three main steps to Metaphoric Criticism: firstly, one must analyze and locate the metaphors used by the rhetor. Next, one must identify and describe those metaphors. Lastly, the critic must determine whether or not the metaphors were used in an effective manor to portray meaning to the audience.
"When you're all out of time there's nothing but space...and heaven is closer than those tears on your face" (Phantom Regret by Jim, Dawn FM).
Analysis
The overall album, Dawn FM appears to be a metaphor for something more significant. Obviously, it is formatted as an 80's radio station but that station represents something more, as seen in the lyrics of the track being analyzed. The track opens with Jim Carrey on the radio broadcast stating "You're tuned to Dawn FM, the middle of nowhere on your dial. So sit back and unpack, you may be here awhile" (Tesfaye, 2022). As stated in Rolling Stone, Jim Carrey serves as a "benign, between-worlds radio announcer" (Dukes, 2022). It is clear that the two worlds being referenced are the world of the living and the world of the dead or the afterlife. This can be seen when Jim Carrey explains "If the pain's living on when your bodies long gone, and your phantom regret hasn't let it go yet, you may not have died in the way that you must" (Tesfaye, 2022). This means whoever is the audience in this situation is "dead". It is evident that the radio station serves as a metaphor for the afterlife, but what phase of the afterlife and why does it matter?
It appears that Dawn FM represents Purgatory, based off the lyrics "Heaven's for those who let go of regret, and you have to wait here when you're not all there yet" (Tesfaye, 2022). This makes sense because, as taught in Catholicism purgatory is "a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who...are not entirely free from venial faults" (Hannah, 1911). It is a stage some people are supposedly taken before reaching heaven. While the Weeknd was supposedly raised Ethiopian Orthodox, he has not claimed to be practicing in any religion, but described himself as "spiritual" (Dorwart, 2021).
It is evident that The Weeknd uses Dawn FM as a metaphor for a phase of the afterlife similar to Purgatory (without specifically mentioning Purgatory), and that Jim Carrey plays the role of an omniscient spiritual being. The meaning that the track conveys is that the audience should mind their thoughts and actions in the world of the living. Carrey asks questions such as "How many grudges did you take to your grave?" and "Was it often a dissonant chord you were strumming? Were you ever in tune with the song life was humming?" (Tesfaye, 2022). The track promotes the idea that the audience should not be concerned with worldly possession because "When you're all out of time, there's nothing but space. No hunting. No gathering. No nation. No race" (Tesfaye, 2022). Using a hidden metaphor throughout the whole album is a creative and effective way to add meaning and intrigue to the album itself.
Burgchardt, C. R., & Jones, H. A. (2017). Readings in rhetorical criticism. Strata Publishing, Inc.
Dorwart, L. (2021, February 18). Is the weeknd religious? Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Retrieved October 4, 2022, from https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/is-the-weeknd-religious.html/
Dukes, W. (2022, January 7). The weeknd hits A new peak on 'Dawn fm'. Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 4, 2022, from https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/weeknd-dawn-review-1278189/
Hanna, E. (1911). Purgatory. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved October 4, 2022 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12575a.htm
Tesfaya, A. (2022). Phantom Regret by Jim. On Dawn FM. Los Angeles: XO . Republic.
It is a known fact that the music album is phasing out of modern day music. With the creation of Apple Music, and even newer advancements such as Spotify and Pandora, consumers are able to buy specific songs as opposed to a whole album. Artists have begun to realize this, and are putting less and less effort into creating an album. As stated in Forbes magazine, “we live in a singles world today. No longer does anyone consistently sit down for 40 or 50 consecutive minutes to listen to an album from front to back like they used to” (Oswinski, 2018). However, in one point and time, the album was “thought to be the highest form of recorded experience the artist could offer” (Oswinski, 2018). It is clear that the quality and effort put into albums is dwindling, but artists such as The Weeknd have seized this opportunity to create a unique product by revitalizing the classic album.
Abel Tesfaye, known by his stage name, the Weeknd released his latest album on January 7th, 2022. The title of the album was very unconventional: Dawn FM. The idea was for the album to imitate a radio station, which entails interrupting the flow of songs with advertisements and announcements. It was a throwback to the 1980's era of radio stations. The album is unlike anything that has been put forth by any recent artists, and is intended to be listened to all the way through. As a writer for the Observer states, the album creates "a pop experience unmatched by any other major artist" (Shah, 2022).
The Weeknd's previous album, After Hours, made Billboard history with songs like Blinding Lights, which spent ninety consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, breaking the previous record set by the Twist (Lock, 2021). The After Hours album was said to portray the "death" of Abel's relationship, following a very thematic movielike theme throughout the music videos and storyline (Shah, 2022). With the release of Dawn FM, Tesfaye tweeted to his fans that they are "experiencing a new trilogy," and Dawn FM was the second part. This article will explore the ways in which the album is a fitting sequel to the overall trilogy and why it is a fitting response to the music industries lack of albums.
This album will be analyzed using the rhetorical situation method. According to Burgchardt and Jones (2017), "This 'rhetorical situation' provides the basis for persuasive interaction. Instead of concentrating on the personality, motives and background of the speaker,...the critic should assess whether a speaker's response to a rhetorical situation is fitting" (Burgchardt & Jones, p.1-2). A rhetorical situation requires three unique points: exigence (need for utterance), audience, and constraints. In this specific instance, the exigence is in the music industry, in which there is a lack of high-quality albums, as well as in the need to produce a sequel for Abel’s “trilogy”. Abel’s intended audience is undoubtedly fans but also the entire music industry. Finally his main goal is to produce a unique experience for listeners across the world by revitalizing the music album.
Rhetorical discourse in the case of The Weeknd, was called into existence by both the need to produce a second product for his "trilogy," but to more importantly revitalize the album. The response appears to be fitting, as the album hit number one on the Billboard's Top Album sales chart (Caulfield, 2022). With its unique storytelling, the album also continues the cinematic theme seen in the past album, After Hours.
In regards to the audience, Abel hosted a listening party which also streamed across several social media platforms on night the album dropped. On YouTube the stream has nearly 10-million views, which is a very high number given the fact that the video/album is 52 minutes long. The album clearly has an effect on both the immediate audience and the mediated audience, as seen through the album's success.
Compared to his record-setting album After Hours, The Weeknd's Dawn FM has not achieved the same Billboard success, but it did make a statement. Two of the "songs" on the album are just monologues performed by the Quincy Adams and Jim Carrey. While there is no song that completely stands out in the album, it all flows together in a very artistic and well-thought out process. It appears evident that Abel was willing to sacrifice rapid Billboard success in order to be creative and influence the music industry.
Burgchardt, C. R., & Jones, H. A. (2017). Readings in rhetorical criticism. Strata Publishing, Inc.
Caulfield, K. (2022, February 7). The weeknd's 'Dawn fm' hits no. 1 on Billboard's Top Album Sales Chart. Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/the-weeknd-dawn-fm-no-1-billboard-top-album-sales-chart-1235027894/
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