This week I took a look into the R&B/Soul genre and listened to The Weeknd’s new EP, “My Dear Melancholy.” Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, better known by his stage name The Weeknd, is an Ethiopian-Canadian singer/songwriter who has risen to fame over the past decade. This breakup-fueled extended play consists of six songs that are all connected to the 10-month relationship that The Weeknd had with Selena Gomez last year.  His vocals, as always, are very smooth and melodic, making his music easy to listen to.

The first track on the EP, “Call Out My Name,” stood out to me more than any of the others.  It has a slow, swing-beat feel that makes you want to slow dance. It has heavy synths and keyboards, giving the song a spacious, airy feel.  The song begins with lyrics, “We found each other, I helped you out of a broken place / You gave me comfort, But falling for you was my mistake.”  These lines describe how he and Selena began their relationship back in the beginning of 2017. He continues in describing how well he treated his ex, saying how he put her above anything else and made sure to keep her as close as possible during the tough times that they shared.

The second song that caught my ear was “I Was Never There.”  In this song, The Weeknd speaks from his point of view on being out out of the relationship with Selena.  He sings, “When it’s time, it won’t matter / It was like I was never there.” Here, he is talking about how he feels like he is just another notch on the proverbial belt of Selena’s love life.  He feels as if he will soon be a distant memory, eventually fading out of her thoughts completely, like he was never there. The lyrics in the beginning of the track also discuss something that most male singers never talk about in their music.  He discusses the feelings of loss and heartbreak that a man feels when love ends. He sings, “What makes a grown man wanna cry?” and “What makes him wanna take his life?” alluding to his feelings when he and Selena first broke up. It sounds like he went through a tough time.

Overall, this was an enjoyable EP to listen to either as background music or something to actually listen to for its content.  It tells a story about a real relationship and how that relationship ended. I’m sure songs off of this EP will be played over the radio and at parties for months to come.