"Baptized in Fear" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriterthe Weeknd. It was released throughXO andRepublic Records as the sixth track from his sixth studio album,Hurry Up Tomorrow, on January 31, 2025. The song was written byThe Weeknd,OPN, and Nathan Salon, all of whom produced it along withMike Dean.
On "Baptized in Fear", the Weeknd sings about letting his anxieties control him, expressing feelings of shame and guilt as he sings: "Figure in the corner laughing at me / Water fill my lungs, vision blurry".[2] He shows his lyrical depth as he discusses the feelings of having a panic attack.[3] Writing forSlant Magazine, Nick Seip felt that the song "sounds like a crisper, more confident version of the balladry" that is prevalent in the Weeknd's debut studio album,Kiss Land (2013).[4] Carl Lamarre ofBillboard ranked "Baptized in Fear" as the second best song onHurry Up Tomorrow along with the song before it, "Until We're Skin & Bones", calling the latter song "The Weeknd at his peak form".[5] The song was transitioned along with "Open Hearts" with the lyrics "Voices will tell me that I should carry on".
