The Weeknd Reflects on His Relationships With Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez in “Heartless”
We all collectively have something to live for again because our favorite Starboy—aka The Weeknd, duh—will be attending the MTV Video Music Awards this Sunday to sing a few hits! We can probs expect him to perform his lead single, "Blinding Lights," from his After Hours album (I mean, it is nominated for five awards), but "Heartless" is totes a performance contender too. Here's a brief little history on the song.
A few months ago, fans were absolutely convinced that The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) was going to drop a track about his ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez because ASCAP (via E!) confirmed he recently registered a song titled—wait for it!—“Like Selena.” Literally who TF else could it be about, right? For a while, I suspended disbelief and pretended that the song was about the late Selena Quintanilla (because she is such an icon).
Sorry to get your hopes up, though, because “Like Selena” never happened. Instead, he delivered “Heartless,” a brooding track that touches on his relationship with Selena Gomez and his other ex-girlfriend Bella Hadid. So sit back, relax, and allow me to decode these lyrics for you ahead of the VMAs, because they really are something!
[Intro]
(Sheesh)
I shouldn’t rush it
[Verse 1]
Never need a bitch, I’m what a bitch need (bitch need)
Tryna find the one that can fix me
I’ve been dodgin’ death in the six speed
Amphetamine got my stummy feelin’ sickly
Yeah, I want it all now
I’ve been runnin’ through the pussy, need a dog pound
Hundred models gettin’ faded in the compound
Tryna love me, but they never get a pulse down
[Chorus]
Why? ’Cause I’m heartless
And I’m back to my ways ’cause I’m heartless
Oop, I spy a little Selena reference! You might remember that Selena and The Weeknd dated from January 2017 to October 2017, which is ages in Hollywood time. But after their relationship ended, he released his last EP, My Dear Melancholy. The EP opened with “Hurt You,” and people thought The Weeknd was singing about the pain he went through during his Selena breakup. “And now I know relationship’s my enemy / So stay away from me / I’m warning you,” he sang on the track, which raised quite a few eyebrows.
All this money and this pain got me heartless
Lowlife for life ’cause I’m heartless
Said I’m heartless
Tryna be a better man, but I’m heartless
Never be a weddin’ plan for the heartless
Lowlife for life ’cause I’m heartless
Excuse me, did The Weeknd just say something about wedding planning? Although his most popular songs usually discuss his inability to commit to women (as well as drugs and money, etc.), this lyric might possibly reference Bella Hadid. Last year, an Us Weekly source reported that he and Bella were “madly in love with each other” after moving in together and that “a proposal is on the horizon.”
Of course, The Weeknd and Bella split before any engagement, and the reason was largely due to distance. “They are in different places right now, physically and mentally,” a source told E! News after their most recent breakup. “Bella is prepping for her Fashion Week commitments and Abel is working on his music and his upcoming acting debut.”
[Verse 2]
Said I’m heartless
So much pussy, it be fallin’ out the pocket
Metro Boomin turn this ho into a mosh pit
Tesla pill got me flyin’ like a cockpit
Yeah, I got her watchin’
Call me up, turn that pussy to a faucet
Duffel bags full of drugs and a rocket
Stix drunk, but he never miss a target
Photo shoots, I’m a star now (star)
I’m talkin’ Time, Rolling Stone, and Bazaar now (’zaar)
Sellin’ dreams to these girls with their guard down (what?)
Seven years, I’ve been swimmin’ with the sharks now
[Chorus]
Why? ’Cause I’m heartless
And I’m back to my ways ’cause I’m heartless
All this money and this pain got me heartless
Lowlife for life ’cause I’m heartless
Said I’m heartless
Tryna be a better man, but I’m heartless
Never be a weddin’ plan for the heartless
Lowlife for life ’cause I’m heartless
[Bridge]
I lost my heart and my mind
I try to always do right
I thought I lost you this time
You just came back in my life
You never gave up on me (why don’t you?)
I’ll never know what you see (why won’t you?)
I don’t do well when alone (oh yeah)
You hear it clear in my tone
The lyric “I thought I lost you this time / You just came back in my life” could possibly be referring to when The Weeknd started hanging out with Bella again around late 2018 and early 2019 following his dissolved relationship with Selena.
This also could possibly reference how The Weeknd began spending time with Bella around her birthday this year following their summer split. Although people began wondering if Bella and The Weeknd got back together, an E! News source clarified that Bella and The Weeknd weren’t heading toward relationship territory again.
“The Weeknd did reach out to Bella during the day to wish her a happy birthday and they have been in touch,” the source said. “There is no bad blood between the two and they are on good terms right now. There isn’t any chance of them getting back together right now, but Bella never wants to have any anger or resentment toward anyone.”
[Chorus]
’Cause I’m heartless
And I’m back to my ways ’cause I’m heartless
All this money and this pain got me heartless
Lowlife for life ’cause I’m heartless
Said I’m heartless
Tryna be a better man, but I’m heartless
Never be a weddin’ plan for the heartless
Lowlife for life ’cause I’m heartless
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