In collaboration with Daft Punk, The Weeknd’s “Starboy” has captivated many listeners, including myself, since its release on September 22, 2016. This song has been on repeat all day, and I have not stopped listening since its release. From its hypnotic beat to Abel Tesfaye’s smooth vocals, “Starboy” is guaranteed to become one of the biggest hits of fall 2016 because of its sound and clever lyrics.
What captivates me about this song is the beat behind the vocals. At first listen, there are no doubts that this is produced by Daft Punk. It establishes a more laid-back pop-r&b feel while maintaining the signature electronic sounds that Daft Punk is known for, despite the tamer feel. The beat in this songs reminds me of "The Game of Love" from their album Random Acess Memories. The piano underneath the track adds intensity and darkness that resonates with previous singles and lets the Weeknd's signature sound pop through without overpowering this new, more electronic based sound.
Abel Tesfaye's vocals, as always, are beautiful and well executed. I find them to be more smooth and monolithic in this particular track. His falsetto vocals are more hidden than in previous singles such as "In the Night" or "The Hills," but are still found giving this a classic Weeknd sound. The vocals on this particular track give a more mature and tame feel, while still portraying darkness and the hurt tone that are usually found in the Weeknd's previous songs.
The lyrics to this track, I find, are very clever and reminds the audience that Abel has finally made it in the music industry. The opening verse also lets listeners know that his possessions are all better than theirs. Abel brags about his cars, money and his girls. The Weeknd also mentions the use of cocaine in a slightly subtle euphemism which compares the drug to ivory, and how this woman "cleans it with her face." In the chorus, he reminds listeners that he is a "starboy," meaning that he has made it. Him bragging and these themes of the rise to fame can be heard throughout the course of the song. Overall, I find these lyrics very catchy and give insight into his rise to fame.
Hopefully, this lead single will give listeners an insight to a more mature sound that "Starboy" may have. Listeners are going to have to wait until the album's release on November 25th.
