The Weeknd delivers a visceral new visual with “Baptized in Fear,” a standout track from his chart-topping album Hurry Up Tomorrow. The music video acts as both a companion to the recently released psychological thriller of the same name and a symbolic farewell to his iconic alter ego.
In the video, Abel Tesfaye sits alone in a shadowed church, surrounded by statues and cold marble—imagery that blurs the line between faith and fear. As he sings, “I’ve been baptized in fear, my dear / Like Paul, I’m the chief of sin,” the scene transforms into a surreal purgatory. Liquid marble creeps up his hand, representing inner paralysis, while the chilling atmosphere underlines his lyrical confessions of sin, shame, and spiritual reckoning.
Though not an official single, “Baptized in Fear” has struck a deep chord with fans, praised for its haunting vulnerability and cinematic edge. Billboard and Rolling Stone have both highlighted it as a creative high point of Hurry Up Tomorrow, which serves as the final installment in a trilogy that began with After Hours and Dawn FM.
Directed by Trey Edward Shults, the visual is part of a larger multimedia experience, with Hurry Up Tomorrow also available as a feature film starring Barry Keoghan and Jenna Ortega. The Weeknd’s artistic evolution is clear: this is no longer just music—it’s mythology.
With Baptized in Fear, The Weeknd doesn’t simply close a chapter. He burns the book and walks into the unknown—reborn, but not unscarred.