The Weeknd announces After Hours inspired haunted houses at Universal Studios
‘Halloween has always been significant to my music, so this is a total dream come to life,’ Canadian singer says
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Your support makes all the difference.The Weeknd is teaming up with Universal Studios to create two haunted houses inspired by his 2020 album After Hours.
The houses, named The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare, are designed by the team of Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights and the 32-year-old singer himself.
“I always wanted my own Halloween Horror Nights haunted house, as Halloween has always been significant to my music, so this is a total dream come to life,” The Weeknd told Entertainment Weekly.
“I feel like my music videos have served as a launching pad for a collaboration like this, and I cannot wait for people to experience this madness!”
Halloween Horror Nights executive producer John Murdy and Universal’s Orlando senior show director Charles Gray also told the outlet that “these houses expand on the grim world The Weeknd built through After Hours’ visuals.”
They describe the journey as a “fever dream” hellscape about “surviving LA”.
“What came out of it was extracting the nightmares: What would it be like if we were inside his head while he’s creating this album?” Gray said. “It isn’t a retelling of the After Hours album; it’s entering the nightmares that were the muse for his songs. There’s a lot of surrealistic, horrific imagery as we [expanded upon scenarios] inspired by the videos.”
The house is reportedly divided into three parts soundtracked by six of The Weeknd’s songs – “After Hours,” “In Your Eyes,” “Heartless,” “Blinding Lights,” “Save Your Tears” (solo version), and “Too Late.”
The Weeknd released his album After Hours in March 2020.
The album hit No 1 on the album charts in 21 different countries. The album’s ninth song “Blinding Lights” also became the biggest single in Billboard Hot 100 history.
Currently, the singer is touring around the world for his After Hours Til Dawn stadium tour.
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