'Dawn FM': Why on Earth Is Jim Carrey on The Weeknd's New Album?
Jim Carrey has already had a diverse career spanning comedy and drama, movies and television, but now he's collaborated with The Weeknd to try his hand at music.
The Weeknd's new album Dawn FM is out now, with comedian Carrey featuring prominently across several tracks on the record. It's not unheard of to have actors or comedians feature on songs, and it's also not the first time Carrey will have had music enter the charts.
Dawn FM also features a number of big name appearances from the likes of Lil Wayne and Tyler, The Creator, but Carrey's name on the credits certainly catches the eye.
What does Jim Carrey do on Dawn FM?
Carrey appears three times on Dawn FM, providing a radio station host-style voiceover on three different songs.
He opens the album on the titular track "Dawn FM," performing as a radio DJ with somewhat apocalyptic and sinister undertones. He appears again on the album's seventh track "Out of Time" at the end of the track, continuing his role as a the smooth-talking but macabre DJ.
On the final track of the album, "Phantom Regret by Jim," Carrey actually receives a songwriting credit alongside The Weeknd and producer Max Martin. This time Carrey opens the track, speaking in rhyme, asking the listener to reflect on their life as if it was ending. His poem goes on for three minutes while The Weeknd can be heard harmonizing in the background.
So why does Carrey appear on Dawn FM? Presumably to heighten the atmosphere and theme that The Weeknd is trying to create on his new album. The cover art for Dawn FM features The Weeknd as an old man, so the nihilistic voiceovers by Carrey imply the album is to be listened to as if it's the end of a life.
Comedians featuring on albums
Jim Carrey has sang many times in his films before, and even charted in the UK and Australia thanks to his rendition of "Cuban Pete" in The Mask. In 1998 he also appeared on George Martin's album In My Life, singing "I Am The Walrus."
There's plenty of other notable examples of musicians recruiting actors and comedians to assist them on songs too.
Kanye West has twice recruited non-musical celebrities to assist him. Chris Rock narrated the final parts of the song "Blame Game" from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and also famously sampled Will Ferrell in his collaboration with Jay-Z "N***** in Paris."
Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover) has done the same in previous work, recruiting his old 30 Rock boss Tina Fey to rap on the track "Real Estate" from his mixtape Royalty.
Comedian Mike Epps has appeared on a number of tracks by the likes of Ice Cube, Eminem & Royce, Busta Rhymes and T.I. Even Jerry Seinfeld has got involved in the past, appearing as himself on "Black Heroes / Outro About Nothing" from Wale's album The Gifted.
The Weeknd's new album Dawn FM, featuring Jim Carrey, is available to buy, stream and download now.
