Canadian wild man The Weeknd stopped by The Tonight Show last night, bringing with him a full band as he cruised through a live rendition of his latest single "Earned It," off the 50 Shades of Grey film soundtrack. Backed by a four piece ensemble, Abel Tesfaye delivered a surprisingly high-brown performance, given the film in question and his history of sultry, lascivious songwriting. With a muted piano replacing the original track's dramatic strings, "Earned It" took on a new character--one perhaps better suited for the martini lounge than the bondage room.
But no, that's not quite right. With a thunderous bass drum hit those familiar strings return during the performance's second verse and only build in steamy intensity as the song progresses toward its, um, climax. It's without a doubt one of the most arousing performances that late night television has seen in a good while, and is but another sign that Valentine's Day is just around the corner. "Earned It" is but one of many romantic recordings on the 50 Shades of Grey Soundtrack, which is currently in stores now and available on iTunes. Purchase it here and be on the lookout for more bedroom-appropriate sounds from The Weeknd in the near future.
