You know that feeling when a song starts and the entire room just... exhales? That’s exactly what happened in late 2016 when Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, dropped "I Feel It Coming." It wasn't just another radio hit. It was a pivot. For a guy who built his entire brand on the "King of the Fall" aesthetic—think dark alleys, pill-popping nihilism, and the kind of toxic energy that makes you want to call your ex at 3 AM—this was a literal sunrise.
He stepped out of the shadows.
It’s been a decade since Starboy redefined what a pop star could look like, and honestly, the staying power of "I Feel It Coming" is kind of ridiculous. Most songs from that era sound dated now. They have that tinny, over-processed EDM sheen that screamed "I was made in a laptop in 2016." But this track? It sounds like it could have come out in 1982, 2026, or fifty years from now. It’s timeless. It’s smooth. It’s basically the sonic equivalent of a silk shirt and a sunset over the Pacific Coast Highway.
The Daft Punk Connection: More Than Just a Feature
We have to talk about the robots. When Daft Punk agreed to work with Abel on the Starboy album, it wasn't a "pay for a verse" type of situation. They actually produced the track. Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter are notorious perfectionists who don't just hand out beats to anyone. They saw something in The Weeknd that reminded them of the greats. Specifically, they saw the ghost of Michael Jackson.
A lot of people compare Abel to MJ, and usually, that’s just lazy music journalism. But on The Weeknd I Feel It Coming, the comparison is unavoidable and totally earned. That vocal flip into the falsetto? The rhythmic "shamon-esque" breathing patterns? It’s pure Off The Wall era energy.
The production is deceptively simple. You’ve got this steady, walking-pace drum machine. A bassline that feels like it’s hugging the melody. And then there are the synthesizers. They don’t scream at you; they shimmer. It’s a "warm" sound, which is hard to achieve with electronic music. Daft Punk brought their vintage gear to the table—the same stuff they used for Random Access Memories—and it gave the track a heartbeat.
The vocoder at the end is the cherry on top. It’s Daft Punk’s signature move. When they sing "I feel it coming" back to Abel, it feels like a passing of the torch. It was also, sadly, one of the last major things they did before breaking up in 2021. That adds a layer of nostalgia to the song that wasn't there when it first dropped.
Breaking Down the Lyrics: From Dark to Devoted
Let’s be real: Abel’s earlier stuff like House of Balloons was dark. Like, "don't leave your drink unattended" dark. So when he sings "You've been scared of love and what it did to you," it feels like he’s finally matured. He’s not the one causing the trauma anymore; he’s the one trying to heal it.
The lyrics are simple. "You don't have to run, I know what's on your mind." It’s a reassurance. It’s a love song that actually feels healthy, which was a huge shock to his core fanbase back then. There’s no mention of "glass tables" or "low life" antics.
Why the Simplicity Works
- It creates a universal appeal. Anyone who has ever been hesitant to jump into a new relationship relates to this.
- It lets the melody breathe. If the lyrics were too dense, you’d lose that effortless groove.
- It fits the "Starboy" persona—a man who has seen it all and is finally ready for something real.
People forget that "I Feel It Coming" was the closing track of the Starboy album. That’s a massive statement. After seventeen tracks of high-energy pop and moody R&B, he ends on a note of pure optimism. It’s the resolution to the chaos.
The Visuals: A Sci-Fi Romance
If you haven't watched the music video lately, go back and do it. Directed by Warren Fu, it looks like a lost 16mm film from the 70s. It’s grainy. It’s hazy. It features a literal stone-cold ending where Abel and his co-star turn to rock.
The aesthetic was a huge part of why the song stayed in the cultural zeitgeist. It wasn't a typical 2010s music video with fast cuts and neon lights. It was slow-burn sci-fi. It felt like Star Wars meets The Twilight Zone. This helped solidify the "The Weeknd I Feel It Coming" era as a high-art moment for pop music. It proved that Abel wasn't just a singer; he was a world-builder.
The Technical Brilliance (The Nerd Stuff)
Musically, the song is in the key of E♭ major. It moves at a relaxed 75 beats per minute. That tempo is crucial. It’s slow enough to be a ballad but has enough swing to work in a club at 2 AM.
The chord progression is a classic pop-soul loop: I–vi–ii–V. For the non-musicians out there, that’s basically the "Heart and Soul" progression that’s been used in hits for eighty years. Why mess with perfection? It creates a sense of familiarity. Your brain likes the song before you even know the words because it taps into a fundamental frequency of pop history.
Doc McKinney and Cirkut—the other producers on the track—did an incredible job layering Abel’s vocals. If you listen with good headphones, you can hear dozens of subtle harmonies tucked into the background. It creates this "wall of sound" effect that feels massive without being loud.
Common Misconceptions About the Song
"It’s just a Michael Jackson rip-off."
Wrong. While it honors MJ, the synth-work and the Daft Punk vocoder placement are distinctly French Touch house music. It’s a hybrid, not a clone.
"It was his biggest hit."
Actually, "Blinding Lights" holds that crown. But "I Feel It Coming" is often cited by critics as his most "perfect" pop construction. It didn't need a viral TikTok dance to survive; it survived because it’s a great composition.
"The lyrics are about sex."
I mean, it’s The Weeknd, so there’s always an undertone. But compared to "Often" or "The Hills," this is practically a Disney song. It’s more about emotional availability than physical gratification.
Why We Still Care in 2026
We live in an era of "disposable pop." Songs are engineered to be 2 minutes long so they can loop on social media. They have "hooks" every five seconds to keep your dopamine levels up.
"I Feel It Coming" is the opposite. It takes its time. It’s 4 minutes and 29 seconds of gradual buildup. It trusts the listener to stay for the ride. In a world of short-form content, that feels like a luxury. It’s a reminder of a time when pop stars wanted to make albums, not just clips.
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Abel has moved on to other eras—the red suit of After Hours, the old-man makeup of Dawn FM, and his most recent transformations—but he almost always includes this song in his live sets. He knows it’s the bridge between his "underground" past and his "legend" future.
How to Appreciate It Today
If you want to really experience the track, don't just stream it on your phone speakers.
- Listen on Vinyl: The analog warmth of a record player brings out the bassline in a way Spotify simply can’t.
- Watch the 2021 Super Bowl Performance: Seeing him perform this on the world's biggest stage proved it was a stadium anthem, not just a bedroom track.
- Pay Attention to the Drums: Notice how they never change. That steady "heartbeat" is what makes the song hypnotic.
The Weeknd managed to do something very few artists achieve: he made a song that feels nostalgic the very first time you hear it. It’s a masterpiece of mood, a masterclass in production, and honestly, it’s just a vibe that refuses to quit.
Next Steps for Music Lovers:
To get the full technical experience of the production, listen to the instrumental version of "I Feel It Coming." It reveals the intricate synth layers Daft Punk buried in the mix that are usually overshadowed by Abel's vocals. Additionally, compare the track to Daft Punk's "Fragments of Time" to see the direct lineage of the "sunny California" sound they were perfecting during this era. Understanding the equipment used—specifically the Roland Juno-60—provides a deeper appreciation for the 1980s texture that defines the song's identity.