The Weeknd ’s official music video for "Call Out My Name" is a haunting visual masterpiece that serves as a cornerstone of his My Dear Melancholy, era. Released on April 12, 2018, the video has since surpassed on YouTube, solidifying its place as a fan favorite. Production and Creative Team
As of April 2025, the video reached the elite "Billion Views Club" on YouTube, proving that its dark, emotional resonance continues to strike a chord with global audiences years after its release.
Fans and critics widely believe the song and its visual narrative are directed at his ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez . The lyrics express feelings of being used and discarded, with the video’s lonely, "frozen" world illustrating the state of someone whose love was unappreciated. Notably, the song samples Nicolas Jaar’s 2016 track "Killing Time," which adds to its atmospheric, slowed-down tempo.
The landscape is populated by frozen animals and a creepy bird-human hybrid peering from a balcony, adding to the "haunted" atmosphere.
The video is a trippy, gothic exploration of heartbreak and isolation. It moves through several surreal settings that mirror the emotional weight of the lyrics:
Lidia Nikonova, who described the shoot as a visual journey where performance and dialogue were often improvised. Producers: Saul Germaine and Nina Soriano Visual Themes and Storytelling