The Weeknd Announces New Album and Debuts Album Cover for Dawn FM

It looks like the dawn has finally arrived for fans of The Weeknd who have been patiently waiting for the followup to his wildly successful 2021 album After Hours.

Per Complex, on Monday the “Blinding Lights” artist announced “a new sonice universe” by the name of Dawn FM that’s set to hit streaming services this Friday. According to the minute long trailer, the upcoming album will feature contributions from folks like Tyler the Creator, Lil Wayne, and the legendary Quincy Jones. Jim Carey and OneOhtrix Point Never are also set to be featured as well.

“You are now listening to 103.5, Dawn FM. You’ve been in the dark for way too long, it’s time to walk into the light and accept your fate with open arms,” a narrator explains.

The Echoes of Silence artist also dropped a photo of the album cover early Tuesday morning which shows a highly made up, older looking version of him and at this point—I’m not sure if I’m more creeped out by the After Hours heavily bandaged, low-key mummified looking version of him or of this newer, slightly creepy uncle-looking self. (The answer is both, tbh. Both are weird AF but par for the course for The Weeknd. So color me unsurprised.)

This album comes amid a variety of new projects set to come from the “Die For You” artist. As previously reported by The Root, his forthcoming new show titled The Idol recently received a series order from HBO.

Co-written, co-created, executive produced and starring the “Starboy” himself, The Idol is set against the backdrop of the music industry and tells the story of “a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult, who develops a complicated relationship with an up-and-coming pop idol.”

Dawn FM is expected to hit streaming services Friday, January 7. To pre-save, visit theweeknd.co/dawnfm.