Genuinely Entertained: The Weeknd’s Dawn FM Is Dancing Nihilism
On Genuinely Entertained, I focus on the sociological implications of entertainment, and if there is one thing that The Weeknd has always been to people, sociologically, it is a nihilist. Nihilism is the philosophy that life is meaningless and thus, in turn, the base of our existence stems from our nonexistence. In essence, nothing is real beyond how you make it real, or, on Dawn FM, how you make it feel.
It TOTALLY FEELS right that The Weeknd is besties with Jim Carrey, who will be first person in an interview to discuss how nothing matters and the entertainment industry is a smoke show promoting mindlessness. Moreover, he is, currently, dating Angelina Jolie whose been open with her battles of self-destruction. Throughout his career, and even personal life, The Weeknd has toyed with the turmoil of knowing your life is truly yours and, for that reason, it is an empty slate that can feel like it only filled if destroyed, i.e. nihilism. Thus, as Carrey becomes the radio voice of DAWN FM, The Weeknd goes all “beauty behind the madness” and sings to the glamorizing nature of feeling gauged.
If the Trilogy, most Weeknders introduction to our mood king, was scintillating depression on a synth wave, Weeknd’s last two albums feel like a suicide note left on the Hollywood sign. He is hugging self-loathing and dancing disco with the brilliant exhilaration of apathy. From “ “ to “ ,“ Weeknd grooves into an emblem of that dark sentiment we all get when we have cared so much, we don’t care anymore. We, literally, break ourselves down because we want to be so important, make every one feel so good, and in feeling like we failed, we said pass me a keg and let’s see how close to the edge I can go until I feel like jumping off it. Yes, that sounds dark but we do not like The Weeknd because he’s light-hearted. That’s like saying we watch Euphoria because it’s bubbly and fun.
I’m going to be bold, and say that The Weeknd is one of the best artists to ever conceptualize inner demons into “blinding lights.” From “Sacrifice” to “Every Angel Is Terrifying.” you hear a fantasy that makes you want to grab your hoe dress and beg the sun gods to go Tik Tok viral. Yet, when you actually listen, you see the sadness behind that; the tragedy of knowing that without veils and masks, the real you would never thrive. The world wants fake because, like The Weeknd, it is nihilistic, and if nothing is real, then falsifying an identity means to actualize your self.
