The Weeknd was the musical guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Wednesday night, singing his new Eighties-inspired single “Blinding Lights” — and the look of his performance matched the song’s retro vibe.
Appearing in a suit (plus bandages and fake blood), the artist looked like a cross between a Miami Vice character and a sci-fi action hero as the camera — boasting a fuzzy camcorder filter, naturally — zoomed in close. The Weeknd performed against a background of airbrushed clouds and spooky lightning effects, adding to the midnight movie feel of the song.
The Weeknd released “Blinding Nights” last November and shared the action-packed music video, directed by Anton Tammi, earlier this week. He previously performed the song on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, where he made use of dual screens and a black-and-white visual. He shared the video for his other new single, “Heartless,” in December.
In a throwback to his career starting point in the early 2010s, The Weeknd also played himself in the new Adam Sandler thriller film, Uncut Gems.