"Out of Time" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter
the Weeknd. It was released to American
urban adult contemporary radio through
XO and
Republic Records on January 25, 2022, as the third single from his fifth studio album Dawn FM.[3] The song was written and produced by the Weeknd and
Oneohtrix Point Never; with Tomoko Aran [
ja] and
Tetsurō Oda receiving songwriting credits for the sampling of Aran's 1983 song "Midnight Pretenders".
Max Martin and
Oscar Holter received additional production credits. The track also features additional vocals from
Jim Carrey, who provides narration throughout the album. The song also won an
MTV Video Music Award for Best R&B Video in 2022.
Background and promotion
"Out of Time" was released on January 7, 2022, alongside its parent album.[4][5] It was sent to American
urban adult contemporary radio on January 25 as the album's third single.
Lyrics and composition
"Out Of Time" has been described by critics as an
R&B and
city popballad with elements of
boogie. The song is written in the key of
C minor with a
tempo of 93
beats per minute. Lyrically, the song details how the Weeknd's
trauma from past relationships has negatively affected his ability to fix the romantic relationship he had with his former partner.[2][6]
Music video
The music video for "Out of Time" was released on April 5, 2022. Directed by Cliqua, it features actress and model
HoYeon Jung, and continues a storyline made with the visuals from Dawn FM. Rolling Stone noted that many scenes within the visual are reminiscent of scenes from
Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation (2003).[7]
Synopsis
In the video, the Weeknd and Jung meet in an empty hotel and quickly bond over singing the song in a
karaoke box. They steal the karaoke machine and frolic around the hotel drinking, dancing, and singing the song. Towards the end, an older version of the Weeknd shown with a deformed appearance from the events of the video for "
Gasoline" tries to reach out to his present self, before the video transitions to the Weeknd's older point of view in a surgery room, where
Jim Carrey, narrating the final lines, puts a mask on him.[7][8]
Critical reception
"Out of Time" received acclaim from critics for the song's production, lyrics and the Weeknd's vocals.[9] Heran Mamo of Billboard named the track as the second-best song from the album, highlighting "The swirling flute and shimmering production feels like he’s in a fairytale where he can turn back time with just the snap of his fingers".[10] A
New University review called the song “one of the album’s masterpieces”.[11]
^
abJenkins, Craig (January 7, 2022).
"The Weeknd Knows No Bounds". Vulture.
Archived from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
^"
ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 20222 into search. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
^"ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202202 into search.
Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2022.