The Real Meaning Behind The Weeknd's Is There Someone Else?
The Weeknd's latest album, "Dawn FM," might be his most popular release yet. The album, which the Canadian singer describes as a "new sonic universe" conceived by his own mind, has received rave reviews from music outlets. The Los Angeles Times has called it "2022's first great album," whereas The Guardian declared it "a stunning display of absolute pop prowess."
The Weeknd, it would seem, knows how to make a hit record, as "Blinding Lights" – from his previous album, "After Hours" — has been named the "Greatest Hit of All Time" by Billboard. With "Dawn FM," The Weeknd looks to make history again and has enlisted the help of several collaborators to do so, including Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, Quincy Jones, and Jim Carrey.
While fans have been obsessing over the collaborations, they are also trying to figure out who The Weeknd is addressing in songs like "Is There Someone Else?" Given the pointed title, it would be fair to assume that the crooner is pointing the finger at a lover for cheating on him, but the song might not be as simple as it seems. Let's break down the lyrics below.
The Weeknd questions his partner's infidelity
In "Is There Someone Else?," The Weeknd addresses his lover head on by accusing her of "hiding something" from him, per Genius. He suspects that she has hidden her infidelity "right from the start" and he only knows because he's done the same thing in the past. "I know that look you give when we're fighting / We're fighting / 'Cause I used to be the one who was lying / Oh, lying," the singer glides on the synth-filled jam.
The Weeknd further questions his lover's loyalty in the chorus, asking her, "Is there someone else or not?" and pleads with her to be truthful to him so he can stay by her side. "'Cause I wanna keep you close / I don't wanna lose my spot / 'Cause I need to know If you're hurting him, or you're hurting me / If I ain't with you, I don't wanna be," he explains on the track, which closely mirrors the lyrical content of "After Hours," which was speculated to be about ex Bella Hadid (via Elle). However, The Weeknd changes the narrative in the second verse and blames himself for the state of his relationship because of transgressions he committed in the past.
In the end, The Weeknd laments that he "doesn't deserve someone loyal" because of his dishonesty, but he has "changed [his] ways for the better" to be with her "forever." However, if she's betraying him or the lover she's cheating with, then it's best for her to come clean to avoid parties getting hurt.