After Hours

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Lore & Background

The album's artwork and aesthetic has been described as psychedelic and being inspired by various films, such as: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Joker (2019), Casino (1995), and Uncut Gems (2019), with the last film having a cameo appearance by the Weeknd himself. The title of the album was inspired by the 1985 movie of the same name by Martin Scorsese. The Weeknd's physical appearance in the era has been described by journalists as being red-pigmented, with him consistently maintaining a red suit and specific hairstyle throughout all of the album's promotional material, such as its artwork, music videos, teasers, and live performances, with its music videos and live performances used to create a mini story. The album's overall art direction was primarily handled by the Tammi brothers, with its design being handled by Aleksi Tammi. The album's creative direction was handled by the Weeknd's creative director and childhood friend La Mar Taylor. When asked about the reason behind the album's title, the Weeknd explained to Variety: "Oh, there are so many reasons for it. The main reason is these are all emotions and thoughts and feelings that I had late at night – [like the video] is all one night and I'm going through all the emotions, after the club, after the fight and after a long day, it's like these are my thoughts from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m."

In Their Own Story

The rain slicks the asphalt, turning the neon signs into bleeding watercolors on the ground. He walks with a heavy limp, the red coat dragging slightly behind him like a trail of fresh blood that never dries. Every siren wails feels like it's calling his name, yet he keeps moving forward, eyes fixed on nothing and everything at once. In a diner window, he sees his reflection: bandaged, hollowed out, a ghost haunting the city that built him. He reaches for a cigarette, but the match won't strike; even the fire refuses to burn in this cold night.

Reader's Guide

The video follows Abel as he wanders through a surreal, empty Los Angeles at night. The narrative is non-linear and dreamlike, showing him encountering various scenes of decay and violence. He visits a strip club where dancers are frozen or injured, interacts with a police officer who seems indifferent to his condition, and eventually ends up in a hospital bed, suggesting he has been hurt again. Hidden details include the recurring motif of clocks stopping at specific times, symbolizing a frozen moment in time. The video features cameos from other characters in the saga, hinting at a larger interconnected world. Directed by Anton Tammi, the visual style mimics 1980s film noir with modern cyberpunk aesthetics. This entry connects directly to 'Blinding Lights' and 'Save Your Tears,' forming a trilogy of visuals that depict the protagonist's descent into madness before his eventual death or transcendence in later chapters.

Did You Know?

• The album's title is borrowed from the 1985 film of the same name by Martin Scorsese.
• The Weeknd first teased the album during a performance in November 2018, telling the crowd that 'Chapter VI was coming soon' – though this was an earlier working title that later evolved into 'After Hours', not a direct
• After Hours is the first installment in a trilogy of albums, preceding Dawn FM (2022) and Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025).
• The album's artwork and aesthetic was inspired by films including Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Joker (2019), Casino (1995), and Uncut Gems (2019).
• The Weeknd dedicated After Hours to longtime fan Lance, the host of the XO Podcast who died the night before the album's release.