You might be thinking it, but I’ll just go ahead and say it: 2020 is already shaping up to be an amazing year for music, you guys. Selena Gomez released an album, Justin Bieber released an album, Demi Lovato’s already put out some new music, and now, The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye, if ya wanna be formal) is set to drop his fourth studio album on March 20—mark your calendars.
The album, titled After Hours, has quite a few bangers released already. Remember when he released “Heartless,” and it was basically all about his past relationships with Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez? Welp, Abel’s forlornly singing about his exes yet again, but this time, it’s allll about Bella. His newest single/title track, “After Hours” dives headfirst into the regret he’s experienced in his time without her and boy, these lyrics are seriously telling.
So what are you waiting for? Hit play and put on your thinking cap, because we are going to dissect these lyrics in ? full ?!
[Verse 1]
Thought I almost died in my dream again (Baby, almost died)
Fightin’ for my life, I couldn’t breathe again
I’m fallin’ into new (Oh, oh)
Without you goin’ smooth (Fallin’ in)
‘Cause my heart belongs to you
I’ll risk it all for you
I won’t just leave
This time, I’ll never leave
I wanna share babies
Protection, we won’t need
In case you aren’t fully updated on Bella and Abel’s relationship, you might have forgotten that at one point, Abel was pretty much ready to ask Bella to marry him. “They’re madly in love with each other,” a source told Us Weekly back in 2018. “A proposal is on the horizon.” These lyrics, which highlights his level of commitment and devotion to this girl (*cough* Bella *cough), could represent that special moment in his and Bella’s timeline.
Your body next to me
Is just a memory
I’m fallin’ in too deep, oh
Without you, I’m asleep
It’s on me, only me, oh
Talk to me, without you, I can’t breathe
In August 2019, Bella and Abel called their relationship quits, which is probably what this verse refers to. “They are in different places right now, physically and mentally,” an insider told E!. “Bella is prepping for her fashion week commitments and Abel is working on his music and his upcoming acting debut.”
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 2]
My darkest hours
Girl, I felt so alone inside of this crowded room
Different girls on the floor, distractin’ my thoughts of you
I turned into the man I used to be, to be
Put myself to sleep
Just so I can get closer to you inside my dreams
Didn’t wanna wake up ‘less you were beside me
I just wanted to call you and say, and say
[Chorus]
Oh, baby
Where are you now when I need you most?
I’d give it all just to hold you close
Sorry that I broke your heart, your heart
Doesn’t it sound like Abel want to get back with Bella right here? Because something tells me yes, yes it does.
[Verse 3]
Never comin’ through
I was running away from facin’ reality
Wastin’ all of my time on living my fantasies
Spendin’ money to compensate, compensate
‘Cause I want you, baby
I’ll be livin’ in Heaven when I’m inside of you
It was definitely a blessing, wakin’ beside you
I’ll never let you down again, again
[Chorus]
Oh, baby
Where are you now when I need you most?
I’d give it all just to hold you close
Sorry that I broke your heart, your heart
I said, baby
I’ll treat you better than I did before
I’ll hold you down and not let you go
This time, I won’t break your heart, your heart, yeah
[Bridge]
I know it’s all my fault
Made you put down your guard
I know I made you fall
I said you were wrong for me
I lied to you, I lied to you, I lied to you (To you)
Can’t hide the truth, I stayed with her in spite of you
You did some things that you regret, still right for you
‘Cause this house is not a home
Wow, didn’t mean to mention Selena Gomez again, but it’s kinda hard to ignore when lyrics like these are staring you in the face, amirite? Selena and Abel dated from January to October 2017 and got together literally two months after he and Bella called their relationship quits in November 2016. So yeah, that timing may definitely have been to spite Bella—Abel said it, not me.
[Chorus]
Without my baby
Where are you now when I need you most?
I gave it all just to hold you close
Sorry that I broke your heart, your heart
And I said, baby
I’ll treat you better than I did before
I’ll hold you down and not let you go
This time, I won’t break your heart, your heart, no
Though Bella and Abel are still broken up, there was some hope that they were going to get back together in October 2019. At Bella’s 23rd birthday party that month, Abel “was with her the entire night and they left together to go back to the apartment they both shared,” a source told E! “You could tell that they were definitely in love and they both looked very happy being around each other.”
Sadly, though a rep of Abel’s told People that he attended the party as “just friends,” thus squashing all our hopes for a reconciliation. Don’t completely rule it out, though—Bella and Abel’s off-and-on relationship (and this song, obvi) show that the potential for them to date again is definitely there. Fingers crossed!