Mastering the "Dawn FM" Vocal Style
"Out of Time" is a standout track from The Weeknd’s Dawn FM album, heavily sampling Tomoko Aran's City Pop classic "Midnight Pretenders." The song feels effortless, but that smoothness is deceptive. Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) uses a highly polished, airy vocal placement that requires immense breath control.
Unlike his darker, grittier tracks, this song lives in a space of nostalgia and regret. The challenge isn't power—it's texture. You need to sound vulnerable without losing pitch accuracy. Let's break down how to achieve that silky tone.
AI Coach Tip: Manage Your Air
Many singers run out of breath in the chorus. The breathiness is stylistic, but don't leak too much air on the first word. Keep your core engaged to sustain the lines "Say I'm there for you..."
Phase 1: The Intimate Verses (0:00 - 0:48)
The song begins in a lower, conversational register. The line "The last few months, I've been working on me, baby" sits comfortably in the chest voice for most tenors.
The Trap: Because it's low, singers often get "lazy" with pitch. Keep the placement forward, buzzing in the mask of the face, rather than swallowing the sound in the throat. This ensures you are ready to climb for the pre-chorus.
Phase 2: The Chorus Lift (0:48 - 1:24)
Here is the signature Weeknd sound. The melody floats up. You have a choice here: a very light, heady mix or a pure falsetto.
- The Transition: Move from chest to head voice seamlessly. Any "crack" or break will ruin the City Pop vibe.
- Vowel Shapes: Narrow your vowels. Sing "you" as a tight "eew" sound to help access the higher frequencies without strain.
- Dynamics: Do not belt this. Keep it mezzo-forte (medium loud). The power comes from the melody, not the volume.
Phase 3: The Melismatic Ad-libs (2:30+)
Towards the end, before the Jim Carrey outro, The Weeknd adds vocal runs (melisma). These runs are fluid and pentatonic. To practice these, slow the track down in the Singing Coach AI app and tap out the rhythm of the notes. They shouldn't be staccato; they should glide into one another like liquid.
Focus on emotional delivery here. The character in the song is realizing it's too late—let that regret color your tone.
Frequently Asked Questions
The vocal melody touches a C5 in falsetto. It requires a developed head voice but doesn't sit in the "stratosphere" like some of his other hits.
You can transpose the song down -3 or -4 semitones using the Singing Coach AI app to sing the high parts in your chest voice, though you will lose some of the airy stylistic quality.
Take deeper, lower breaths (diaphragmatic breathing) between phrases. If you breathe shallowly into your upper chest, you will hyperventilate attempting this style.
