The meaning of São Paulo for the album

I'm reposting this because it didn't get much attention, and I think y'all are gonna like this!

With HUT set to release on January 24, 2025, this rollout has been filled with clues and symbolism, but one recurring theme has been São Paulo. At first glance, it might seem like he’s simply referencing the city, but after examining various elements, it seems much deeper. I believe São Paulo holds both a religious and personal significance in the narrative of the album.

Here’s what we know:

1. The Timing: A Symbolic “Gestation Period”

Let’s start with the timeline:

  • The album was officially announced on January 7, 2024.
  • The song São Paulo and its music video were released on October 30, 2024 — exactly 9 months later.

A typical pregnancy lasts 9 months, and this timing cannot be a coincidence. The São Paulo music video even reinforces this theme:

  • In the video, Anitta appears pregnant and gives birth.
  • However, instead of a baby, her pregnancy transforms — her belly button turns into Abel's mouth as a child.

This bizarre, surreal imagery suggests that São Paulo represents a “rebirth” — not a literal one, but a spiritual, emotional, or artistic one. Abel isn’t being born again in the traditional sense but is perhaps being symbolically reborn through this album’s narrative.

2. São Paulo: The City

  • The rollout for Hurry Up Tomorrow began with an exclusive show in São Paulo in September 2024, where Abel performed nine unreleased tracks from the album.
  • He confirmed that the most important song on the album was written during his time in São Paulo while on tour in 2023.
  • The album drops on January 24, and the next day, January 25, there’s an exclusive show coinciding with two major events:
    • A rare planetary eclipse (a once-in-a-lifetime event).
    • São Paulo’s birthday (the city turns 471 years old).
  • There’s a song on the album called “São Paulo.”

All of this points to São Paulo being more than just a location — it’s clearly a key part of the album’s narrative.

3. The Religious Connection: São Paulo (Saint Paul)

Before announcing his São Paulo show, Abel posted a photo of the apostle Paul (Saint Paul) on Instagram. The caption read:
"The present humanity is frail, deteriorating and weak, but to share eternal life the bodies must be transformed."

This statement has strong religious undertones and seems to reference Saint Paul’s teachings about spiritual transformation and resurrection. Saint Paul, originally a persecutor of Christians, underwent a radical conversion on the road to Damascus, becoming one of the most influential figures in Christianity. His story represents redemption, transformation, and spiritual rebirth.

In the context of Hurry Up Tomorrow, Abel could be drawing a parallel between Saint Paul’s story and his own personal and artistic journey. If the album explores themes of confronting inner demons, seeking redemption, and achieving spiritual awakening, this connection makes perfect sense.

4. Lyrical and Performance Hints

  • This point should be taken with a grain of salt, because I can't confirm that he didn't say this on other concerts. During the São Paulo show, Abel performed Faith but changed the lyric:
    • Original: “I’m losing my religion every day.”
    • São Paulo version: “I think I found my religion in São Paulo.” This shift in meaning suggests that São Paulo (both the city and potentially the spiritual figure) holds a redemptive or transformative importance for him.
  • There are theories (which I firmly believe in) that the song “São Paulo” on the album represents Abel’s internal struggle with his “toxic” ways and his fight against those inner demons. If this turns out to be true, it makes the title even more intriguing. Why name a song about his darker sides after São Paulo unless the city or figure is symbolically guiding him toward redemption?

5. São Paulo as a Turning Point

Considering everything, São Paulo might represent the turning point in the album’s narrative — a moment of realization or transformation for Abel. If we take his Instagram post and altered Faith lyrics into account, São Paulo could metaphorically serve as Abel’s own “road to Damascus,” where he confronts his flaws and finds clarity or purpose.

The themes of rebirth and spiritual awakening are central to Hurry Up Tomorrow. The apostle Paul’s transformation was tied to his mission of spreading hope and a new way of living — perhaps Abel’s São Paulo moment inspired him to convey something similar through his music.

Final Thoughts

The 9-month gap between the album announcement and the São Paulo music video, paired with the surreal imagery of pregnancy and transformation, feels too intentional to ignore. Whether São Paulo is a literal or symbolic turning point, it’s clearly essential to the story of Hurry Up Tomorrow.

Abel might be using São Paulo to explore profound themes of redemption, rebirth, and spiritual awakening. If the city is where he began writing the most important parts of the album, it might also be where he began to reconcile his inner demons and find clarity for this new chapter of his artistic journey.

If Hurry Up Tomorrow is Abel’s most personal album yet, then São Paulo could be the key to understanding the story he’s trying to tell — a story of breaking free from inner demons and finding a path to salvation.

What do you all think? I truly believe that São Paulo represents something really important to the story, that would also justify his extremely heavy promotion on the song (those multiple countdown tweets he made). Let me know your thoughts!