In Your Eyes (The Weeknd song)
"In Your Eyes" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd and the third single from his fourth studio album, After Hours (2020). The song was released to contemporary hit radio on March 24, 2020, by XO and Republic Records.[3] It was originally released four days before, alongside the rest of its parent album.[4] The Weeknd wrote and produced the song with Max Martin and Oscar Holter, with Belly receiving additional writing credits. The original studio recording of the track features Wojtek Goral on alto saxophone, while the live version and remix of the song features Kenny G on soprano saxophone.
"In Your Eyes"
Music video[edit]
The music video for "In Your Eyes" was first teased by its director Anton Tammi on his Instagram story on March 21, 2020, with the Weeknd later on the following day posting the thumbnail for the visual on his social media accounts.[26][27] Its confirmation as the music video for the single was confirmed eleven hours before its release, with the video premiering on March 23, 2020.[28][29]
The visual stars Zaina Miuccia as the lead female protagonist and continues the storyline from the After Hours short film after the Weeknd enters the elevator with the couple.[30][31] In the music video, the Weeknd, after having killed Miuccia's companion in the aforementioned elevator, chases her throughout different locations until they reach a nightclub named After Hours. There, Miuccia manages to grab an axe that she then uses to decapitate the Weeknd, with her then proceeding to dance with his lifeless head throughout the rest of the music video.[32] The visual features the return of Wojtek Goral as the saxophone player from the album's self-titled short film and was compared to the slasher movies of the 1980s, being met with a positive reception.[33]
Pop Matters columnist Jessica Brant exclaimed the song “feels like the obsessive longing the Weeknd writes of on "Pretty" from his 2013 album Kiss Land transformed into a movie. The story glistens with the entertaining qualities that made fans fall in love with Michael Jackson's “Thriller” video with the same omnipotence. A chilling tale with a redemptive and hilarious plot twist and great acting from model and Vogue writer Zainna Miuccia, who finds herself at the epicenter of it all”.[34] "The Weeknd has channeled horror movie vibes with his video, taking the '80s slasher vibes up a notch," stated Vibe journalist William E. Ketchum III.[35] Complex editor Trace William Cohen praised the visual's narrative and outcome, “The video sees a knife-wielding version of Abel's After Hours character going full slasher villain, ominous lurking and all. The video fittingly ends with Abel's character on the receiving end of some hatchet-assisted poetic justice.”[36]
Commercial performance[edit]
Following the releasing of its parent album, "In Your Eyes" debuted at number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 dated April 4, 2020. It was the highest overall debut of the week and third highest charting track from After Hours at the time.[37] On March 9, 2021, "In Your Eyes" was awarded a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling one million units in the United States.[38]
On March 27, 2020, the song debuted at number 17 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming his 20th top 40 hit on the chart.[39] Elsewhere in Europe, it managed to debut in the top 20 of the Belgian Tip charts, Irish Singles Chart, and Dutch Single Top 100 on June 10, 2020. The song also managed to debut within the top ten of Norwegian and Swedish charts, with the single also reaching a top 40 position of number 26 in Italy on March 28, 2020.
Live performances[edit]
The song's debut live performance occurred during the 2020 Time 100 primetime event on September 22, 2020, where a new version of the song with saxophonist Kenny G was performed.[40] The song's second live performance occurred during the American Music Awards of 2020 on November 22, 2020, where it was performed alongside "Save Your Tears" in downtown Los Angeles.[41] In this performance, the Weeknd sported a bandaged look that continued the narrative of the visuals that he released for After Hours.[42] A third live performance of the song for VEVO, directed by Micah Bickham with cinematography from Jon Chema, was released on November 24, 2020.[43]
In August 2020, the song's Doja Cat remix was one of the tracks featured on TikTok's virtual concert: The Weeknd Experience.[44][45]
"In Your Eyes" (remix)
May 21, 2020
4:00
- Max Martin
- Oscar Holter
- The Weeknd