The Weeknd – Gasoline- Vocal Reaction & Analysis

Gasoline has an 80’s vibe, slightly similar sounding to Thriller. The Weeknd’s voice has quite a character going on in this song.

Gasoline contains layers of different vocals. We can hear a normal-sounding vocal, a vocoder behind it, and the harmonies The Weeknd is known for.

The Weeknd has never done such a super covered vocal. It is a darker lower larynx position, almost theatrical sounding. He’s likely using a vocal synth, which contrasts his very dark approach. Even though it’s fake sounding, it surely fits the song’s vibe.

Halfway into the song, having heard his typical, brighter sound, we can appreciate the character contrast he’s creating.

From a vocal performance standpoint, The Weeknd is a very agile singer.

One of the reasons he can be so agile is that he knows how to lighten up on the way down. Many vocalists will try to plow through runs, trying to add too much support resulting in stepping it too much.

If we back off in our airflow & support as we’re thinking the run, we’ll be more accurate. Trying to control the run less will sound more controlled. It’s an interesting dichotomy, but it’s the way to go in many singing areas.

Join me, Barret Jones, and Mclean in today’s video reacting to & analyzing The Weeknd – Gasoline.