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Abel Tesfaye proves star status with ‘Starboy’

Following the release of “Trilogy,” Canadian pop star The Weeknd has launched into stardom. (Courtesy of Conway Recording Studios)

Andrew Haverty
Connector Staff

There is no denying the impressive rise to fame The Weeknd has had the past few years. Most people probably do not even know that “Beauty behind the Madness” was not his first studio album.

The Toronto native, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, actually recorded his first mixtapes back in 2011. Bringing his own unique style to the R&B genre, The Weeknd soon separated himself from the basic smooth R&B artists that flooded the radio waves. And with chart topping hits like “Can’t feel my Face” and “The Hills,” The Weeknd has solidified his status as one of the pop powerhouses in the music industry today. His third official studio album “Starboy” is simple proof that Tesfayehas has no plans on letting anybody steal his rightfully deserved spotlight.

The album begins with the title track “Starboy,” one of the most electric pop singles of the year. The tone is a bit darker than some of his previous singles, with the artist bragging about his newfound fame as he spirals out of control with the overwhelming fortune that comes with it all. This is all brought together by the masterful production of the legendary Daft Punk. The melody bursts with braggadocio with its frantic, furious bass-hits, while it subtly hits the listener with the tragic undertones of the piano. Daft Punk absolutely nailed this track from head to toe, and it will surely be on everyone’s “best singles” list by the end of the year.

Then we are hit with “Party Monster” for those hoping for a more bass-heavy track. It is tracks like these that prove the Weeknd’s uncanny ability to blend his smooth vocals with hard hip-hop production. He brings a sort of swagger unlike any other R&B artist when he makes lines like, “Got up, thank the Lord for the day / Woke up by a girl, I don’t even know her name.”

This is followed by the out of control but entertaining “False Alarm” and then the first big surprise of the album, “Reminder,” a track where he just could not resist mentioning his Lamborghini for the umpteenth time. But that is okay because he is allowed to do that when his songs sound this good. Nice, smooth underlying basslines mixed with his signature R&B/Rap hybrid flow; this could easily be his next single.

The first act of the album cleans up with the groovy, club-thumping “Rockin” and the addictive, pink & purple neon-synth “Secrets” that calls back to 80s hit “Talking in Your Sleep” by The Romantics.

After the promising first act, the rest of the album is a series of unique tracks unfortunately mixed with some easily skippable ones. Luckily, the remaining songs start with a Kendrick feature in “Sidewalks,” which is always a treat, and then we get some Future collaboration in “Six Feet Under,” one of the more entertaining hip-hop tracks of the album with some stand out Weeknd vocals leading up to an all-too catchy chorus.

“Love to Lay” is okay, but feels out of place after the Kendrick and Future collaborations that came previously. It is catchy but not catchy enough to stand out, and its poppy chorus does not fully take off like it should. And The Weeknd has always had similarities with the great Michael Jackson, but “A Lonely Night” feels like a tame mimic at times.

Thankfully the album finishes strong with “Die for You,” featuring a chorus that truly reaches the heights and expectations of its listeners. And for the finale, Daft Punk helps conclude the album they introduced with the track “I Feel It Coming.” Tesfaye certainly saved one of the best for last, as the ending track bursts with sounds of 80s synth and funk. It is essentially the Weeknd and Daft Punk’s baby that was bound to come from “Random Access Memories” and “Beauty behind the Madness.”

Going into The Weeknd’s third studio effort, expectations were high. Though it is definitely a more sonically cohesive, and admittedly entertaining, album than his last effort, it still suffers from the same problems. It picks up momentum early on with hit singles and punchy production, but then stumbles at the finish with more ordinary feeling tracks in comparison. The singles are fantastic, and Daft Punk in particular does a great job in setting the tone and ending on one that feels right. But it does not quite feel like the complete package we hoped for. Who knows though? Maybe The Weeknd will consider taking an extra year to complete his fourth album. He is capable of something truly special, and maybe the extra time could be beneficial. “Starboy” really seems like just a taste of what the Weeknd is capable of, which makes the anticipation for the next inevitable project that much stronger.

Final Grade: A

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