The Weeknd has made good on his word and released a collaboration today (August 7) with the late Juice WRLD, titled ‘Smile’.
Earlier this week The Weeknd had taken to social media to subtly hint at a forthcoming collaboration track with the late rapper.
The singer tweeted “XO + 999 Thursday Night” earlier today, with ‘XO’ representing himself and ‘999’ representing the late rapper – a number he used extensively as part of his brand.
XO + 999 Thursday Night
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) August 4, 2020
Fans on Twitter have also unearthed an old tweet of Juice WRLD’s from late last year, where he theorised that a collaboration between him and The Weeknd would be successful.
“Me and The Weeknd would make a diamond record…” he tweeted in September last year.
Me and The Weeknd would make a diamond record…
— . (@JuiceWorlddd) September 11, 2019
Watch the official lyric video for ‘Smile’ now.
‘Smile’ is the first release from The Weeknd since he dropped his fourth studio album ‘After Hours’ earlier this year. The album spawned three singles, ‘Heartless’, ‘Blinding Lights’ and ‘In Your Eyes’, the latter of which received a remix featuring Doja Cat.
In a review of the album, NME said ‘After Hours’ was his “strongest record in some time”.
Juice WRLD’s estate recently released his posthumous album ‘Legends Never Die’, which became the most successful posthumous album of the past 20 years in America.
- READ MORE: Juice WRLD – ‘Legends Never Die’ review: rapper’s legacy eclipsed on crowded posthumous album
NME gave the collaboration-heavy album three stars in a review, writing “Juice WRLD’s music came to life most when he made it seem like you were the only two people in the room like he was speaking directly to you, the listener. That intimacy is sadly missing here”.