The Weeknd, Heartless | Track Review 🎵

Grammy winning R&B superstar The Weeknd makes an epic return with single “Heartless,” where he remains true to self.

“I’ve been runnin’ through the pussy, need a dog pound / Hundred models getting’ faded in the compound.” He’s back! Who? Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd.  After a quiet 2019, the Grammy-winning Canadian R&B superstar drops the ripe single “Heartless,” which is expected to appear on his forthcoming studio album.  The last full-length album Tesfaye released was Starboy in 2016.  He did, however, release a seven-track EP, My Dear Melancholy,, in 2018.

As one can gather from the aforementioned lyrical excerpt, The Weeknd remains true to self on “Heartless” – cold as ice!  He sings about about the fast life, something that has dominated his work since the beginning.  He kicks off the first verse singing, “Never need a bitch, I’m what a bitch need.” Can you say attitude and ego? He only doubles down on the second verse, asserting, “So much pussy, it be fallin’ out the pocket / Metro Boomin turn this ho into a moshpit / Tesla pill got me flyin’ like a cockpit.” Yep, that Abel Tesfaye to a T.

Furthermore, on “Heartless,” The Weekend has an incredibly sleek production to work with. This is thanks to co-production alongside Metro Boomin, who he references in the second verse, and Illangelo.  The beat pummels, hitting you right in the chest, while they synths are equally potent.  Combine that with confident, distinct, and unapologetic vocals from Tesfaye, and “Heartless” is nothing short of a surefire bop.

Final Thoughts 

The Weeknd may not reinvent the wheel or his career, but he certainly flexes hard on “Heartless,” roaring back into the music game.  “Heartless” excels, checking off the expected boxes for Tesfaye: killer production, unapologetic songwriting, and ripe, distinct vocals unlike any others.  All in all, this is a certified bop.

The Weeknd • Heartless [Single] • Republic • Release: 11.27.19

Photo Credit: Republic