The Weeknd reveals the hidden dark meaning behind his smash hit single, “Blinding Lights.”
When the Canadian artist dropped his fourth studio album earlier this year, it had been heralded in by the hit single, “Blinding Lights,” which was released in November 2019. The track, which has an 80s feel, was named by both Billboard and Consequence of Sound, as the best song of the year up until June, and peaked at No. 1 in 34 countries. Written by The Weeknd himself, the Canadian singer sings, “I’m blinded by the lights / No, I can’t sleep until I feel your touch.” The track is believed to have been inspired by the singer’s on-off relationship with Bella Hadid. But, he has now shared that there is an additional, darker meaning behind the catchy tune.
“Blinding Lights’ [is about] how you want to see someone at night, and you’re intoxicated, and you’re driving to this person and you’re just blinded by streetlights,” Abel Tesfaye told Esquire in an exclusive feature. “But nothing could stop you from trying to go see that person, because you’re so lonely. I don’t want to ever promote drunk driving, but that’s what the dark undertone is.”
In the months leading up to the release of his album, After Hours, The Weeknd was rumored to be going back to his dark roots, and he did just that on a lot of the singles like “Blinding Lights,” “Heartless,” “Until I Bleed Out,” and “Escape From LA.”
Despite having been released almost a year ago, “Blinding Lights” remains high on the charts. The single has spent 38 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and is currently number 4 on the chart.
