There is an alleged Chuck Bukowski quote that states, "Find what you love and let it kill you." The Weeknd takes this to heart in his video for "Can't Feel My Face." Released today on Apple Music, the Grant Singer-directed clip finds the Canadian crooner venturing left of his usually moody, atmospheric vibe, as he uses dark humor to tell a tale of tragedy and triumph.
The video starts off moody and a little too serious, just like most The Weeknd videos, with a tight close up of the singer. However, when the beat drops, the clip reveals the full scene. Mr. Tesfaye is a lounge singer at a bar on amatuer night, trying to entertain a crowd more interested in drinking away their troubles and 25-cent wings than some weirdo on stage singing a song they’ve never heard of. This doesn’t deter our hero, as he continues to sing and strut his stuff against the tepid audience, eventually winning them over in a fiery ending you’ll have to see for yourself.
The Weeknd shows that he’s growing as an artist, revealing the breadth and depth of his craft and that he has a sense of humor. While different from the usual melancholy fare we get from the "Earned It" singer, the humor in the clip is squarely in the artist's wheelhouse. We can't wait to see what else he has up his sleeve when his new album, Beauty Behind the Madness, drops on August 28th.
