First single from forthcoming album teased during Olympics prime time show
The Weeknd releases his much anticipated single “Take My Breath,” the first from his forthcoming album as announced in his GQ global cover story this week. The sonically-charged track exemplifies The Weeknd’s ability to consistently evolve his sound and his knack for story-telling through his music. The release is accompanied by a mesmerizing visual directed by Cliqua.
The Weeknd teased new material with an array of tweets, culminating in an austere trailer he shared this past Sunday. By Monday morning, GQ debuted the first ever global issue in 90 years with The Weeknd as the sole cover star on all editions. In the accompanying interview with GQ, The Weeknd hinted at what listeners could anticipate with the upcoming record. On the same day, The Weeknd revealed a snippet of “Take My Breath,” along with the release date, in an Olympics promo teaser during NBC’s Olympics Prime Time Show telecast starring Team USA’s women’s track and field team.
The video was set to premiere in IMAX theaters ahead of Suicide Squad this weekend, but was pulled due to epilepsy concerns surrounding the intense strobe lighting, according to Variety.
“Take My Breath” marks The Weeknd’s latest material since the release of his critically-acclaimed album After Hours released in March of 2020. The album is The Weeknd’s fourth No. 1 album in the United States and is certified double platinum by the RIAA with over 15.7 billion streams. In addition to the United States, After Hours topped the charts in 20 additional nations, including Canada and the United Kingdom.
