The Weeknd’s ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ Trailer Follows a Celebrated Musician’s Emotional Lows

In the trailer for Hurry Up Tomorrow, an insomnia-plagued musician experiences hair-raising highs and emotional lows. In one clip, released Tuesday, the artist nearly drowns in a bathtub, as a narrator contemplates death, and in another he performs before ear-splitting crowds. It’s the Weeknd‘s latest venture into film and TV, since his co-starring role in Max’s The Idol.

The Weeknd, born Abel Tesfaye, first announced the film project in December, and described it as a “musically driven psychological thriller.” It follows a musician who journeys with a stranger to unravel his own identity, a synopsis explains. Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan also star in the film.

The film shares a title with his sixth full-length album, which he released Friday. The album marks the third part of a trilogy, following 2020’s After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM. Hurry Up Tomorrow features collaborations with Justice, Florence + the Machine, Future, Giorgio Moroder, and Lana Del Rey, with Rolling Stone calling it “dazzling and frustrating, with moments of lyrical clarity and sonic density that stand out amidst the heavy-hearted reflections and even heavier synths.”

The trailer follows the Weeknd’s surprise return to the Grammys after making the decision to no longer submit his music and boycotting the award ceremony in 2021. Recording Academy’s CEO Harvey Mason Jr. introduced the artist, after highlighting the Weeknd’s initial frustrations and pivoting to the Academy’s diversity initiatives. During his performance, the Weeknd sang Hurry Up Tomorrow tracks including “Cry for Me” and “Timeless,” where he brought out Playboi Carti to sing his verse.

After his best-selling album After Hours didn’t receive any Grammy nominations, the Weeknd called the Recording Academy “corrupt” and lacking “transparency.” “Collaboratively planning a performance for weeks to not being invited?” he wrote on social media November 2020. “In my opinion zero nominations = you’re not invited!”

The Weeknd has since won four Grammy awards, with a nomination this year for his featuring role on Future’s “We Still Don’t Trust You.”