The Weeknd Soars to New Heights with Bold and Immersive “Open Hearts” Music Video
The Weeknd
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Open Hearts
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The Weeknd — Open Hearts —
On February 2, The Weeknd pushes the envelope further into the future with the release of his stunning new music video for the single, “Open Hearts.” Riding the wave of boldness surging from his recent “Red Terror” The Garden project (with director Eddie Alcazar, which paid indirect homage to the Ethiopian historical landmark Qey Shibir), the Canadian crooner pushes limits—both technological and emotional.
A Heart-Laid-Bare Soundscape
“Open Hearts” expands on The Weeknd’s tradition of meditating on heartbreak, love and the fraught in-betweens. Listeners who admire his evocative sound will hear his trademark intensity here, but it’s also augmented by an otherworldly flair. From the first hypnotic note, the track conjures swirling tides of yearning and endurance, hitting that signature balance of sultry R&B undertones and cinematic sweep.
Immersive Technology Meets Electric Storytelling
The video opens with a straightforward but intriguing request for viewers to experience it through Apple Immersive on its next Vision Pro headset. It’s a brazen gamble that largely erases the line between music, film and virtual reality, inviting viewers to lose themselves in a lucid dreamscape with The Weeknd at its center. Even if you don’t have immediate access to the VR world, this video feels larger-than-life — its dynamic visuals practically leap out of the screen.
From Majestic Horse Herds to Cosmic Thrones
In classic Weeknd style, the visuals are a potent combination of luxe and mystery. Majestic horse herds gallop through swirling desert dunes, their thundering hooves conjuring the storm of passion that rumbles through the song. Barely pausing to catch your breath, the scene shifts to a cosmic throne room where The Weeknd takes his place seated beneath strobing constellations, symbolically enshrining his feelings of vulnerability. The wildness of these patterns only heightens the curiosity, every cut something of a mini revelation, every set piece a major emotional declaration.
Continuing an Unstoppable Trajectory
By ratcheting up the intensity of “Red Terror” — itself a bold shout-out to a violent period in the country’s history — “Open Hearts” is further evidence of The Weeknd’s gift for weaving through personal narratives and larger cultural threads. His muses have always been love, heartbreak, regret and hope; here, those muses are simply transported to a futuristic stage that throbs with neon lights and swirling galaxies.
Verdict: A New Benchmark for Music Videos
“Open Hearts” takes The Weeknd’s discography to new heights by combining evocative themes with pressurized digital wizardry. If “Red Terror” was a statement invoking Ethiopia’s Qey Shibir, this latest visual extravaganza further cements his devotion to mixing storytelling with culture and technology. The resulting video is at once fashionable and heartbreaking, a world away from the usual stock music video fare, and a mark of the artist’s ever-changing creative vision.
See for yourself and watch “Open Hearts” now — but be warned that your senses may find themselves overwhelmed by each sumptuous detail along this loosening love road. If The Weeknd has taught us anything, it’s that he has an uncanny ability to translate heartbreak into revelation, and the new track “Open Hearts” may be his most spellbinding revelation to date.
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