“I love how Poly can be very cheerful, supportive, open, creative and fun. I dream on becoming and architect because I like to be creative and I’ve always been a fan of math and I also wanna build a family in the future.”
– Erick Flores
Photo by Molly Flynn
“I’m really excited to be back on campus after a really hard year online. Having to adjust to a completely new environment was really hard for me. I was used to seeing my friends every day and having real interactions, and having it all taken away was hard. Being back has made it easier to complete my work and communicate with my teachers and friends like I used to.”
Photo by Leyna Holly
“My most comfortable relationship I have is with my best friend. We met in sixth grade in a history class and instantly clicked. Over time we became close friends and had some downs, but we bounced back from them and became stronger. We were close in freshman year, but over quarantine we became inseparable. Like completely inseparable. We bonded and found more things in common than we thought, and became extremely comfortable with each other, more than we’ve ever been with ourselves. She is my best friend.”
Photo by Hugo Navarro Vargas
“I want to finish high school, then hopefully go to a good college. Something I want to work hard on is achieving a scholarship and working hard for it. I would like to join a nursing school and hopefully become a nurse. I want to become a nurse because I want to help people feel better and learn about the diseases that run through my family history.”
Photo by Dayvon Sierra
What helped you throughout your first year of high school?
“A good schedule will solve 90% of your problems, find a way to balance and find time for your classes and extra curricular activities and you’ll be set.”
“How you do anything is how you do everything and the power behind it is just you just really wanna do your best at whatever it is that your doing whether it’s something your good at or whether its something your not good at because than that trains you and gets your brain ready to just no matter what it is to put your full effort in this stuff.”
photo by Jasmine Davis
“How you do anything is how you do everything and the power behind it is just you just really wanna do your best at whatever it is that your doing whether it’s something your good at or whether its something your not good at because than that trains you and gets your brain ready to just no matter what it is to put your full effort in this stuff.”
photo by Francisco Pena
Raul Aguilar : “I’ve been in the Long Beach district, for my life. I plan to go to college, but not sure what to do after college.”
Quote : “Good luck in school, have fun at school, and make sure this is a safe place for you and others.”
“I am in ASB and what I do for the school is I help organize. I’m helping our organizations page. I’m also helping homecoming fair and homecoming week, I don’t know what else to say.” – Amelia
According to astrology, celestial incidents coincide with human activity, but is that really true? In western astrology, astrological signs or Zodiac signs are twelve 30 degree sectors that make up the 360 degree orbit the Earth does around the Sun. The signs are named after constellations the sun annually passes through. Each Zodiac sign spans about a month within the year. The first sign is Aries that begins in spring, then there’s Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Your zodiac sign is said to have a personality trait or character that relates with you. Do certain occurrences in the sky affect our character? Are we our Zodiac sign? The High Life staff weighs in with their thoughts:
Sierra Brott-Hunter
My sign is a Virgo. My daily horoscope today relates to who I am really well because it said, “In true Virgo fashion, you’re in the mood to be productive and get things out the door.” The way I feel about astrological signs and horoscopes in general is that I think they’re cool. I relate to my sign in general so much that people always tell me, “omg that is such the Virgo in you!” and my friends and my family always tell me I have the motherly traits and that I can be very truthful even if it does come out mean.
Zinia Francis
I am a Leo. My sign describes me almost completely. Leos are said to be creative, boastful, a pleasure to be around, and people who enjoy being celebrated. I would agree that I am creative. I tend to look at many things from an artistic point of view. I enjoy making art such as poetry, painting, drawing and even making clothes. I also can confirm my courageousness, with any obstacle put before me I always go into the situation with the confidence that I will overcome it. I don’t think I love attention very much but I do agree that I can be boastful by the way I change my hair styles frequently, but when my hair is not done I will have an attitude. Over the years I have noticed friends and family gravitating towards me because of my caring and warm demeanor. Lastly, as a Leo I do enjoy having the attention and time of my loved ones, I like to know that I am wanted around.
Xandria Hines
I am a Virgo. Usually, when I go on a curiosity-filled zodiac hunt for my sign and any information/predictions on it, the most common idea I can find about my sign is that we’re commonly task-oriented, over-analytical perfectionists. With this explanation, however, one much more detailed than others I’ve been able to find on the internet, resonated with me more than others I’ve seen. The idea that Virgos are mild-tempered and calm, their earth element keeping them humble and ‘down-to-earth’, and using their attention to detail to help others is something I believe describes the basis of my ideas well. They also bring in how their ideas and idealism can keep them mentally detached from the present, too caught up in the detail of the past or future to keep their head from the clouds and enjoy the moment, is something I’ve begun to struggle with, especially with the stress of the past year. I would never say any one person can describe a large group of people perfectly, but I would say this would describe some of my recent struggles and ideals very well. Would I ever say that my birthday alone has shaped me into the person I am today? Absolutely not.
Caleb Dunomes
My sign is a Gemini. The astrology.com website says that the personality of a Gemini is “active,” using words like loving, social, and lighthearted to their interactions with other people. The weaknesses of a Gemini make them seem “all over the place,” and describes them as being unable to commit to responsibilities and relationships while also having a noticeably short attention span. Hearing about this single description of a Gemini and many of the traits seem like they align with my personality. I can see myself aligning with the social side of being a Gemini since I enjoy social interactions and try my best to be lighthearted when socializing with others. But I don’t think I’d describe myself as “active” to a point where I am not “trustworthy.” My active attitude and personality doesn’t really interfere with my goals and passions.
High Life Adviser Daryl Holmlund
I generally think that any alignment between the signs and reality is coincidental. However, I’m an Aries, and I must admit that what people have told me about the fire sign characteristics seem to match up with me. I’m definitely passionate and impulsive, and I love starting projects but sometimes don’t finish them in a timely manner. I’m a charismatic leader but not great with organization and taking care of the little details. I love new things, new places, new experiences. I can sometimes be too direct or harsh when talking with people I care about, and don’t always realize that I’ve hurt their feelings. All of these are Aries characteristics. But… I also love learning and sharing information, a Gemini characteristic; I’m curious, like a Scorpio; and I have a lot of friends and acquaintances like an Aquarius. So, am I a true Aries? Kinda? Do I think it’s because I was born under a certain sign? No.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, I have learned a lot about myself and my ambitions. Moreover, one thing that I have learned that to achieve my goals I have to both believe in my dreams and believe that my dreams will come true. I have learned this after a year of losses and failures followed by lessons and successes. All of my challenges during track practice, online schooling and just life in general has forced me to grow up, manage time and even take time off for myself when I need to. Especially track practice, with us seniors having so much pressure to perform and put our names out there, I’ve been forced to believe in myself and all of my hard work. Because of these challenges, I have become even more ambitious, hard working and confident. In fact, I don’t think I truly knew and felt the definitions of ambition, hard work and confidence until this year.
Xandria Hines
This past year, going through school during the pandemic has been one of the weirdest times of my life. It’s sucked in so many ways, but nothing good goes to anyone without hardship. When the pandemic started, I thought that Covid infection rate would cool off enough for schools to be open by fall. It didn’t. But I was surprised to find that the online classes, the work, and my attention, seemed much easier than usual. It was common for me to get a large barrage of A’s with a B or two mixed in, but now on the honor roll, I’ve been able to find my preferred, and more productive way, of taking classes, and will most likely test this out more in-depth in the future, though hopefully not in the same circumstance.
Sierra Brott-Hunter
The Covid-19 pandemic taught me not to take anything for granted, it showed who are my real friends. You should spend more time with loved ones and you should enjoy life. That time and life is very valuable and precious . It taught me that I can focus on my mental and physical health more, and also made me more mature. It has changed me in a positive way. Online school can be easy but hard and I have learned to find myself and become who I want to be. I have learned something new. I’ve learned to play the keyboard, though I’m not that great at it yet. I can go in my backyard and do school work instead of staying inside, I can take my dogs for a run. It taught me a lot of interior design and I also got better at painting.
Kelly Rodriguez
The past year we have been in the pandemic I learned things about myself; self-love was the first important thing. I also went away for a month to Georgia. I started to appreciate nature. I went to Georgia with my two sisters and my cousin. We went to visit my mom’s sister and her kids. It was great. I got really close to my cousins. I also went hiking a lot. I learned that nature is so pretty – like, I couldn’t believe what my eyes were seeing. It was a way to keep me calm. It helps a lot just seeing nature. You get a lot of things out of your mind. I feel like I have grown. I want to be independent now without my mom doing it for me.
Zinia Francis
The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed me to become closer with myself. With not being able to see many of my loved ones and with many outdoor activities being cancelled, I was forced to be my own entertainment. To occupy myself, I explored my interest in many different areas, such as cooking, trying new foods, doing hair, working out, reading books, and writing. Doing these activities have brought me to feel comfort in my own company. During the pandemic I also realized that, like many people, I never used the time I had alone productively. I was constantly trying to avoid being alone and in the process I didn’t take advantage of being by myself. I have grown strong mentally in this past year. I thank the pandemic for my growth.
Alex Phouma
I think the pandemic helped people find out what they want out of life. Since we had to go into a lockdown in the beginning of the pandemic, it gave people time to think. For example I know people have had to rethink where they wanna work or what they want to do, and some students are thinking about college. For me, as a senior in high school, turning 18, it made me think about college and what I want to do as a career. I just think that helped people think about life.
Scenes from the Rapid Assessment Clinic in LBCC (Friday April 10)
City workers clean up graffiti after protests in June
A store owner stands in her storefront fixing broken windows and picking up glass
Drive-thru graduation 2020
Teachers cheer on students at the drive-thru graduation
Liquor Store sits closed and streets remain empty on September 3rd
A Poly High School student, Zion Wilkins, attends a 7:50 am Zoom meeting.
Businesses put up signs informing customers to stay six feet apart from each other and to wear masks at all times.
Murals are painted on boards that establishments in Downtown Long Beach put up due to recent protest resulting from the murder of a black man, George Floyd, by police officers. In this painting 3 black people who have died due to police brutality are painted surrounded many victims last words.
Drive-thru graduation 2020
March 13, 2020, a date which will live in infamy. There are other dates that marked the beginning of the Covid-19 era for other groups of people – for NBA players, coaches, and fans it might be Rudy Gobert’s positive test on March 11, the same day the WHO also officially characterized the spread of coronavirus as a pandemic. But for teachers and students, that Freaky Friday the 13th was the last day in the classroom – and for many students, the last day with their friends – for over a year.
This is a collection of thoughts from the High Life staff and adviser about what we have missed over the past 13 months – or what we feel we have missed out on.
Xandria Hines, Staff Writer
I feel like I missed out on an entire year of my life. My family and I were supposed to do some travelling and visiting family. Getting together and celebrating smaller achievements and happy moments. My friends and I, too, most of whom are other seniors, won’t be able to have a normal prom or graduation. We would be standing so far apart from one another, unable to dance like weirdos or mingle with other groups, that there would be no point in going. Most of the smaller things in life you look forward to aren’t possible, because they’re done outside, or with others. It kind of sucks all the emotions out of you, and I miss that as well.
Sierra Brott-Hunter, Staff Writer
I feel what I missed out is going to family gatherings. I missed out on seeing my best friend that lives an hour away and missed going to her birthday. I missed going to Disneyland, Knotts, going to the park. Missed going to concerts. I miss seeing my friends and going to movies with and just having fun. Just going outside. I miss going to the mall and just being able to chill. I miss going bowling. Going on trips with friends and family.
Kelly Rodriguez, Staff Writer
I feel like I missed out on being a teenager. I am going to be 18 already and we’ve been in quarantine for a year. I didn’t get to be in school doing fun things, going to games, or hanging out with friends since it wasn’t safe. Also, my friend’s parents were scared to let their kids out because it wasn’t safe. Another thing is that I spend my time on the TV and on my phone. I think that my whole family can’t stand each other because we weren’t able to go out and it was all of us in a house, fighting most of the time because we didn’t have space. Till this day my friend can’t go out because her parents are still scared. I only have one friend now. I lost touch with everyone I use to hang out with a lot.
Alex Phouma, Staff Writer
Something that I feel like I missed out on is my last year of high school. For seniors it’s our last year of high school, and after high school you have to become more independent and responsible. You gotta worry about college, for those who decided to go, while balancing working, and the little milestones like being leading and able to drive to get to those places.
Caleb Dunomes, Staff Writer
Throughout the beginning of the pandemic everyone had lost access to so many experiences and activities. Things like access to loved ones and significant others, big sporting events and even once in a lifetime school experiences. Personally, I have missed out on the true teenager experience. With both my junior and senior year being taken away I’ve lost the opportunity to go to dances, go to big track meet invitationals (like Arcadia, Redondo, Arizona and more), and even events outside of school. It felt like I was on the top of the world, going to Disneyland during February (before Covid was seen as a threat) directly after three months filled with events like club events, track meets, Black college expos and fun memories with my friends. Now it feels like I won’t be able to experience that anymore. My life now has just been working, track practice and homework assignments. Covid has made me feel like I’m being forced into growing up without experiencing things that teenagers experience. Now all us seniors can do is grow and face the unpredictable future.
Zinia Francis, Staff Writer
The past year has felt like someone pressed fast forward. I feel like I have missed a significant part of my teenage years. Since I was younger I’ve always wanted to have a true high school/teenage experience like going out after school with friends, sleep overs, hanging out on the weekends, going to amusement parks and having parties. So far as a seventeen year old I haven’t experienced the fun I have been yearning for. The Covid pandemic started when I was sixteen and I will be eighteen in three months. Up until I was sixteen I hadn’t had many outings with friends or was very social in general . I had begun to come out of my shell shortly before the quarantine. I’ve missed out on being social and simply taking advantage of having no responsibility.
Daryl Holmlund, Adviser
Immediately after the home quarantine began, I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to visit my 99 year-old grandma over Spring Break in April – not just because flying to Chicago by plane seemed incredibly risky at the time, but also because she was in a retirement home that was locked down to keep the virus out. Grandma turned 100 in March, and while some family members visited her for her birthday, most of us didn’t feel safe or right flying in and potentially bringing the virus with us to infect other family members. We had a nice Zoom call with family, but it wasn’t the same, and I can’t help but think that if circumstances were different, we would have had a bit of a family reunion. I’m hopeful that I’ll get to see grandma and others this summer, but it won’t be the same as it would have been celebrating on her actual birthday.
“I’m a roman candle, my head is full of flames,” Elliott Smith sings in the title track to his album Roman Candle. (Composite image by Audrey Ramirez)
Recorded on a four-track recorder in his girlfriend’s basement, Elliott Smith manages to combine soulful lyrics and lo-fi folk instrumentals to create his absolutely stunning debut album Roman Candle. Smith touches on heavy subjects such as domestic abuse, alcoholism, relationship issues, and loneliness in such an inconspicuous way, reminiscent of Outkast’s “Hey Ya”, a song about divorce hidden behind a fast-paced dance rhythm.
“I wanna hurt him,
I wanna give him pain.”
Smith opens with this line as his chorus to the title track “Roman Candle” which begins the album. Quick yet subtle guitar strums hauntingly ring in each ear as you take in the deep and intense lyrics.
“He could be cool and cruel to you and me
Knew we’d put up with anything…
Your tears are cheap, wet hot red swollen cheeks…”
Smith bravely shares his painful experiences of domestic violence and emotional abuse as a kid via music. Seeing as this is only the first track of the album, it suggests that you strap in and prepare yourself for the rest of the album because it is definitely a ride.
Songs like “Condor Ave”, “No Name #2”, and “No Name #4” discuss relationship issues, abuse, and occasionally alcoholism, which is a huge issue Smith personally struggled with for a long time.
“I wondered if I would talk about drug use. But I guess, why hide it?” says Smith.
Elliott beautifully combines acoustic guitar with his own soft and breathy vocals. “No Name #3” is a perfect example of the kind of melodies Smith is capable of creating; with about a few guitar and vocal tracks stacked on top of each other, this song is the epitome of “indie”. Each song has such a raw tone, almost as if you were with him while he was recording. “No Name #3” opens at a 79 bpm tempo soft guitar strum that makes you appreciate your sense of hearing more than ever before. Elliott begins singing in a whisper, discussing an unhealthy relationship either between a couple or a family.
Emotional intensity and musical brilliance combine to create a nearly perfect album. 9.6/10
Deep dish pizza with bacon and pepperoni (K. Burton)
This has been an amazing experience. BJ’s Restaurant in Torrance, Ca. was the perfect place to order takeout. We ordered a Wing Dinner and some Salmon, Salad and Green Beans. When arriving to pick up the dinner everyone was following the Covid-19 guidelines and they made sure to sanitize the counter every time a new customer approached.
The food was well packed, no missing items and everything was hot when we picked the food up and they even provided a few sani-wipes.
You can either win or lose with salmon, but this salmon was delightful. It was buttery full of flavor and once topped with the lemon cream sauce it took it to a whole ‘nother level. “[Even though] I’m a vegetarian I would give the salmon an A + this is one of the best cooked salmon I have had in a long time,” said Hisa J.
Grilled salmon with lemon cream sauce. (K. Burton)
Salad oh salad it was a normal salad. The one thing I did enjoy was the mixed greens that were used instead of just plain lettuce. The balsamic dressing is what took the salad over the top and gave it the extra kick it needed.
House salad with balsamic vinegar. (K. Burton)
The wings were seasoned to perfection, not over cooked, still nice and juicy when you take that first bite. The dipping sauce was provided on the side which allowed the chicken to still have that crunchy skin. “I would order these wings anytime they are just as good as other restaurants that I have ordered takeout from,” said Jordan J.
The garlic knots. (K. Burton)
The garlic knots were little bombs packed with lots of flavor. You can taste a fair amount of garlic but it’s not too overpowering.
Vegetables are the best part of a meal for a vegetarian. “The green beans were cooked just how I like them with a little char on the edges and full of flavor seasoned with a nice salt and pepper combo and a little fresh garlic had my taste buds jumping,” said Hisa J.
Sautéed green beans. (K. Burton)
This is one of the best dinners I’ve had in a long time due to us being in a stay at home order. Overall I would recommend this restaurant to my friends and family to try. From the moment I arrived to getting my food home and in my stomach it was an amazing experience.
The author, Jaylan Miller, trying the pizza. (K. Burton)
A closer look inside bag of seafood. (Alyssa Thomas)
Seafood is one of the most versatile foods. Different types of seafood, different ways to eat/cook it; there are so many options that seafood can please everyone.
One of the options that I personally love eating is seafood boils. Seafood boils consist of different sea animals such as crawfish, lobster, clams, and much more. Many seafood boils also contain corn and sausage. Louisiana and South Carolina are known for their tasty and giant seafood boils. Seafood boils typically do not contain any fish, since fish is rarely ever boiled.
When ordering seafood boils from restaurants, you pick your meats and extras, then the food is brought to your table in bags. Claws, located in Cerritos, is my favorite restaurant to eat seafood boils. You order by the pound and not by how many meals you need. For example, if your table has four people, you don’t order four “meals”, you would order around four pounds of food to share among the group.
At Claws, you are treated with bibs, gloves, a table cover, and many different seasonings for your food. My family and I typically order calamari and fries as our appetizers. We then choose the seasoning that is a combination of all flavors available. In about 10-15 minutes all the bags of seafood come. The entire table is covered with paper so the table can get as messy as you want. The waiters give everyone a small container of salt, pepper, and ketchup.
What seafood boils from Claws look like before eating. (Alyssa Thomas)
When I eat at Claws, I’m usually with three other people and we order four to six pounds. Our seafood bags usually contain crawfish, mussels, shrimp, and corn. My cousins and I are not a fan of spice, so we order mild.
Ordering and eating seafood boils from restaurants during this pandemic is, unfortunately, not the same. The number one convenience of eating seafood boils at a restaurant is there is not a big mess for you to clean up afterwards. Seafood boils almost always get messy due to the bags and sauce getting everywhere. When ordering Claws to-go, you choose your seasoning, meats, and everything else you would when ordering in the restaurant. When your food is ready you get the bags like normal, and it all tastes the same, but it is definitely not as fun or convenient as eating inside.
Picture a Ma ‘n Pa shop mixed with a trendy, modern sushi joint, and what comes to mind will probably look a lot like Awesome Sushi. Located on the corner of Clark Avenue and Willow Street, this restaurant may be small, but makes up for it with great customer service, food, and the determination to stay open.
During the health and economic crisis of the past year, small businesses like Awesome Sushi have struggled to stay afloat. Before COVID-19 spread throughout the nation, restaurant owners would greet their customers at the door and make them feel welcomed without a mask or plexiglass divider. What makes Awesome Sushi unique is the staff still finds a way to make a customer feel welcomed despite necessary safety precautions.
The staff at Awesome Sushi make ordering takeout via phone simple and easy. To-go orders are on-time, and the staff greets each customer with a smile and asks how their day has been.
Awesome Sushi is also known for their healthier options as they have low-carb and vegetarian rolls. The sushi joint also has a wide variety of fish ranging from tuna to salmon to escolar. I tried the tuna poke, spicy edamame, and an iced green tea. The freshness of the ahi tuna and flavor of the edamame was the perfect combination. The iced green tea topped the meal off. There is so much to try on their menu which makes each meal different.
Awesome Sushi is now only open for takeout orders. The determination to stay open throughout the pandemic is telling. Additionally, the restaurant persists by the closeness of the family and staff that work for their community.
At Awesome Sushi, they think that sushi should be more than just a high-end meal. It’s a meal for all.
“Come and try out how awesome we are!!!!” the Awesome Sushi staff said.
The Korean boy band BTS released their 2nd full album, Wings, on October 10, 2016, under their label BigHit.
The album includes the track “Blood, Sweat, and Tears”, which gave the boy group their first win at the “Mnet Asian Music Awards” for best dance performance that same year. Like the intro track “Boy Meets Evil”, the album is about the temptations of a young boy when growing up: “Too bad but it’s too sweet”.
Back to the title track, it’s about being intoxicated with one’s feelings and neglecting them. The vocals are breathy, expressing the lust of commiting a sin that’s “sweeter than sweet”.
This album is also the first time the boys try solos, expressing their hardships of growing up. The soft and soulful dance track “Begin” by Jungkook is about how his bandmates raised him during their trainee days. The electronic-inspired “Lie” by Jimin is about being so deep into a lie that you lose yourself. The sensual solo “Stigma” by Taehyung is about lying to yourself and the world, along with the feelings of being a sinner. The passionately rapped “First Love” by Suga, is about things or talents that have been neglected for a while, there is still a fire there in the heart. It’s about an escape. The meaningful rap, “Reflection” by RM, is simply about just learning to love yourself. The old timey feeling, “Mama” by J-Hope talks about the struggles of family sacrifices.
And lastly, “Awake” by Jin, is lyrical with powerful vocals and is about seeing your limits, questioning if you’re enough. There are other tracks on this album but I feel that these are the best and get the meaning through. We all reminsenice on our past mistakes and try to force ourselves to be something we’re not, to try to fit in. From this album, I got that we should learn how to love ourselves, imperfections and all. That is a beautiful message that is not said enough.
When fans and other music enthusiasts learned that three-time Grammy winner The Weeknd was not nominated for a Grammy this year, despite his record-breaking feats and well-received praise from music critics, people were notably upset.
Abel Tesfaye, most well known as The Weeknd, dropped After Hours on March 20, 2020, which set a high bar in music.
The album’s unique instrumentals encompass the listener with strong emotions that almost feel like an out-of-body experience. After Hours follows a clear storyline about an unhealthy relationship influenced by Tesfaye’s own love life. Even if you have not been in a relationship, Tesfaye makes it as if you were the one in his situation.
The Weeknd opens up the album with a dark R&B feel and heavy bass lines that convey his deepest thoughts and experiences during his relationship. This theme follows throughout the first half of the album, up until “Blinding Lights”. The narrative starts with The Weeknd singing about his unstable relationship with a girl who is devoted to him, but he, unfortunately, cannot be the same towards her. Despite him not being able to properly communicate his emotions, he still finds it hard to let go of the girl he loves. Their relationship continues to crumble due to trust issues and insecurity, and it eventually leads to their breakup.
Aside from his relationship, Tesfaye shows a more vulnerable side to him by talking about the harsh reality of stardom. In “Snowchild,” Tesfaye reminisces about his time before stardom and the hardships he faced before his breakthrough with a graphic opening line: “I used to pray when I was 16, If I didn’t make it, then I’d probably make my wrist bleed”. The song then transitions to focus on his life as a superstar, boasting about his fancy lifestyle and the fame he gained. Once again the focus shifts, but instead it’s about Tesfaye’s true thoughts on his life as a celebrity: “20 mill’ mansion, never lived in it / Paparazzi tryna catch me slippin’,” which can be seen as him feeling alienated in Hollywood. The melancholic atmosphere with the lack of beat shifts within the song sends a message as if his feelings never changed despite him being at the top.
The Weeknd uses “Heartless” as the midpoint between the thematic shift of R&B to 80s pop. Unlike the previous tracks, he boasts about how his material possessions and notoriety made him “heartless” (hence the title). Though this track’s trap and R&B beat make the listener feel as if they are invincible — like they’re in an intense chase scene from an action movie. The dark reality of the lyrics shows how even though Tesfaye has all this wealth, his ability to properly connect to anyone emotionally has been severed.
With “Blinding Lights”, the most notably popular song off of his album, The Weeknd completely ditches the dark R&B and replaces it with the 80s inspired tunes. Bound from the beginning to be a chart-topper, this song incorporates futuristic synths and a fast tempo that anyone can dance to. In this song, Tesfaye collaborates with Max Martin, a man who helped produce hits like “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys and “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift. This song fills you with ecstasy and adrenaline, thanks to electro-pop sounds combined with Tesfaye’s captivating vocals. This song also perfectly weaves into the theme of the previous song, “Faith”, which centers around The Weeknd’s fall into drug addiction. The chronological placement of this song serves as him being on that “high”.
The album continues with the romantic aspect of the story, despite the two parties already having separated. Both The Weeknd and his love interest still have feelings for each other, yet they know it’s wrong to be together. However, they find a way around that by being friends with benefits, even going so far as committing infidelity with each other. The sound also reverts to the dark R&B feel, which represents him going back to the toxic “relationship” they have.
The album reaches its end with a tragic, yet hypnotizing song, “Until I Bleed Out”. Other than reading the title itself, the song impacts the audience as Tesfaye hypnotizingly chants about how he wants to cut her out of his life permanently to the point that he bleeds. However, depending on the listener, this song can also have a double meaning in which it refers to his drug use. Continuing from the story around “Faith” and “Blinding Lights”, “Until I Bleed Out” serves as the conclusion of the story with The Weeknd being hospitalized most likely from his drug usage. The ending is up to the listener on whether the character he plays is still alive.
Truly an album worth 4 stars, The Weeknd inserts many allusions that allow the audience to interpret their own story. The cycle of pain, heartbreak, and bad habits is something that leaves the listener upset at his actions, yet the melodic and catchy tunes are something that sticks with them. Without a doubt though, The Weeknd has a unique artistic ability that allows him to create a sophisticated storyline that lets the audience have a love-hate relationship with the character he created.
