October 2, 2026: Global superstar, The Weeknd performed his first-ever concert in Singapore on December 5, 2018, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium as part of his inaugural The Weeknd Asia Tour. This past weekend, he returned to our sunny (and now hazy) island with The After Hours Til Dawn Tour, which has been widely described as the closing chapter of the persona under which Abel Tesfaye built his career (recent interviews have cited that he is not retiring and will keep performing under his stage moniker).
The Singapore production closely matched his other country performances, with the towering 40-foot gold robot statue created exclusively for the tour by Japanese artist, Sorayama, taking centrestage along the symbolic runway. The Weeknd emerged behind a glittering mask, green lasers projecting from the eyes, accompanied by dancers in red robes and masks who moved with ceremonial restraint.
The staging drew on the narrative arc of his album trilogy, After Hours, Dawn FM and Hurry Up Tomorrow, and organised the evening as a progression from night towards morning. A ruined-city backdrop anchored the set, while the lighting design moved deliberately from deep violet to amber and finally to a pale dawn blue. The result was disciplined and cinematic, favouring atmosphere over excess.
Musically, the programme balanced familiarity with a range from his wide portfolio. “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears” drew the largest collective response, the stadium moving, singing and recording with their phones as one. “Starboy” and “Can’t Feel My Face” sustained the momentum through the central portion of the set. The quieter passages, notably “Die For You” and “Out of Time”, offered the clearest demonstration of his vocal command, in particular a falsetto that remains the most distinctive element of his live sound.
Equally notable was his stage presence. An artist long associated with detachment appeared comparatively engaged, extending time on the runway and allowing the audience to carry several choruses unaided. The performance concluded with “Moth to a Flame”, an electronic hit collaboration with Swedish House Mafia (who we wished were also there), closing the night on a high for the 50,000+ strong audience at the National Stadium.
Photos by Sebastien Nagy, courtesy of Live Nation.
