The Weeknd is currently preparing to share fourth studio album After Hours later this month.
Ahead of its release, the Canadian singer appeared on last weekend’s Daniel Craig-hosted episode of Saturday Night Live, debuting a new song entitled ‘Scared to Live’ alongside electronic musician Oneohtrix Point Never playing keyboard. Appearing in a red suit with a blooded nose as per After Hours‘ cover art, he also performed recent album single ‘Blinding Lights’.
‘Scared to Live’ is a departure from previous After Hours singles we’ve heard, dancefloor-ready jams like ‘Blinding Lights’ and ‘Heartless’.
Instead, the latest song from Abel Tesfaye is an emotive, downtempo ballad which sees its singer croon reflectively about the aftermath of a relationship ending. It’s a pretty powerful performance as far as these things go, and it seems like it’ll be an album highlight.
As Pitchfork points out, it’s not the first time we’ve seen The Weeknd and Oneohtrix Point Never – AKA Daniel Lopatin – working on the same project. Both appeared in the Safdie Brothers film Uncut Gems – The Weeknd appearing in the film as himself, Lopatin writing the film’s score.
Watch The Weekend perform ‘Scared to Live’ and ‘Blinding Lights’ below.
After Hours, the follow-up to 2018 EP My Dear Melancholy, is slated to hit shelves next Friday, 20th March.
