Every week, TikTok finds a new trend to make everyone collectively uncomfortable, whether it’s oversharing relationship timelines or digging up emotional baggage from years ago, and right now, everyone is deep in their feelings thanks to Prince’s Purple Rain and a lyric they can’t stop using: “I never wanted to be your weekend lover.”
Purple Rain is the dramatic, iconic song that usually makes people feel sad, hopeful, or spiritual. But TikTok’s now making people feel second-hand embarrassment.
The trend uses just that one line from the song, not the big emotional chorus. And basically, creators are using it to reflect on casual relationships from their past, the kind that were never meant to be serious, but still clearly meant something.
So, what does ‘weekend lover’ actually mean here?
@madison.pw12 Guys the vampire phase from when James and I were first going out is wild. Let’s not talk about it too much but this trend def made me think about it
also me in purple in the rain for our photos… talk about perfect #weekendlover #relationships #purplerain
For loads of people, the trend is a “then vs now” situation. They’ll post old photos, messages, or screenshots from when their relationship was casual, followed by clips of their current serious partner. Same relationship, different stage. It’s meant to show how something low-key eventually turned into something real.
Others are using the sound to talk about situationships or friends-with-benefits setups. Some videos feel nostalgic and sweet, like they’re looking back fondly. Others feel a bit more uncomfortable, especially when it’s clear someone caught feelings and the other person… didn’t.
And then there’s the version that’s making TikTok argue. Some creators are hinting that they were the “other person”, basically admitting their weekend lover was already in a relationship with someone else. That’s where the backlash comes in. A lot of viewers are genuinely shocked that people are openly posting that online.
One creator even said they’d rather “eat a pair of jeans” than take part in the trend. Which honestly sums up how many people feel.
@aliceyyg
But not everyone hates it. There are loads of comments saying the videos feel relatable or honest. For some people, it’s comforting to see others admit their romantic lives weren’t always neat or perfect. TikTok loves vulnerability, even when it’s messy.
Why Purple Rain, though?
The song has been back in the spotlight recently thanks to Stranger Things, which brought it back into pop culture conversations. And once TikTok gets hold of an emotional song, it’s basically over.
So, the “weekend lover” trend is really about looking back at relationships that lived in the grey area. Not quite love, not quite nothing. Whether you find it relatable or painfully cringe probably depends on how healed you are.
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