Fans have fallen in love with The Weeknd's dark and druggy love stories over the last 14 years. However, when he feels up to sharing his personal bouts or gets introspective, it leads to some very memorable moments in his discography. Songs like "Snowchild" and "Escape From LA" immediately come to mind. On his sixth studio album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, Abel Tesfaye does a lot of personal reflecting on his career. It's fitting as this is potentially his last project under this unforgettable stage name. Because of this, you can certainly make the argument that he's more open than ever before. One track that especially bolsters this position is "Red Terror." If you like world history, you may be familiar with this horrific and bloody tragedy that took place in Ethiopia in the late 1970s.
It was essentially a disagreement within the country regarding the revolution they were undergoing at the time. The disputes quickly went awry and were handled through brute force and massive number of deaths, hence the name "Red Terror." It's speculated that around 50,000 lives were lost and thousands of Ethiopians, including Abel's family, were affected by way of fleeing, displacement, and separation. The Weeknd has yet to confirm the connection of the lyrics to this potential meaning of the song. But it certainly makes sense, especially with the new visual. Once again using puppets and stunning stop motion animation, The Weeknd is seen running from something horrifying. This potential depiction of the "Red Terror" almost catches up to him, but he manages to escape to safety. It may not be the flashiest song or visual, but this may be his best overall work.
The Weeknd - "Red Terror" Music Video
