The Weeknd Walks Along the Circle of Past & Present in ‘Snowchild’
This week has been witness to a string of new music videos and now, adding to that mix is none other than the Weeknd. The star just put out his heartbreaking animated video for the track, ‘Snowchild,’ which finds a safe spot on his latest album, ‘After Hours.’
Much like the other tracks on this album, ‘Snowchild’ is ripe with some exquisite production elements. A strong set of beats creates the foundation to this track, out of which grows a fine mix of distorted ambient sounds. The Weeknd’s verses are gentle and vulnerable, these moods being perfectly mirrored in his lyrics. Take a look:
I used to pray when I was sixteen
If I didn’t make it then I’d probably make my wrist bleed
Not to mislead, turn my nightmares into big dreams
Whole squad mobbin’ even though we only six deep
I was singing notes while my niggas played with six keys
Walking in the snow before I ever made my wrist freeze
Interestingly, his lyrics arrive in the form of a stream-of-consciousness monologue. The Weeknd appears to be using his music to heal, but in the process that also means laying his thoughts and emotions bare.
The music video shows us all shades of The Weeknd. The darkest ones give us a glimpse into his past. One that shows us his struggles with drugs and women. While the daytime is filled with cold, lonely hues of black and white. The night arrives with colours and temptations. Despite being dragged down, the Weeknd fights to reach the top, wielding his neon pink crucifix weapon in the hopes of striking down all distractions and desires.
The star also pays homage to characters from his previous videos. Like, for example, the glam rock icon, Rick Wilder, from ‘The Hills,’ ‘Tell Your Friends’ and ‘Can’t Feel My Face’. In fact, many of the women gathering around him also transform into black panthers, yet another allusion to his ‘Starboy’ era in 2016.
Finally, a colony of bats help him escape, as he settles into a more familiar avatar. The bats, which also make an appearance in his track, ‘Call Out My Name,’ land him in a barren valley. But this time, the Weeknd is donning his dazzling red jacket, along with his bulky glasses and signature bandage on his nose. We’ve reached the final destination: the ‘After Hours’ era.
He ultimately arrives at a familiar landscape: the building we see in ‘Blinding Lights‘ and ‘Heartless‘. Studded with lights and looking exceptionally inviting, the Weeknd wanders towards it. Despite his monumental rise to fame, perhaps there are elements of one’s past that you can never outrun.
By: Nina Karun
