Abel Tesfaye[a] was born on February 16, 1990, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[5][6] The only child of Ethiopian immigrants Makkonen Tesfaye and Samrawit Hailu,[b] who separated shortly after his birth,[8][9] he was raised in the suburb ofScarborough by his mother and grandmother.[6][10] Tesfaye's patronymic is spelled "Makkonen" instead of the traditional Ethiopian name "Makonnen". The similarity with theFinnish surnameMakkonen is pure coincidence. The spelling of Tesfaye's patronymic might be the result of a typographic error or a new form of the traditional name.[11] Tesfaye is proficient inAmharic, his native language acquired from his grandmother,[12] and is also fluent inFrench, as he attended aFrench immersion school.[13] He was further educated atWest Hill Collegiate Institute andBirchmount Park Collegiate Institute.[14]
At seventeen, Tesfaye dropped out of school and relocated to an apartment in the neighbourhood ofParkdale with two friends, one of whom isLa Mar Taylor—his best friend and nowcreative director.[15] Living ahedonistic lifestyle with his friends,[6][16] Tesfaye adopted his stage name because he left home on a weekend.[17] He removed the last 'e' in 'weekend' to avoidtrademark issues with the Canadianpop rock bandthe Weekend.[18] He has also experienced homelessness and was incarcerated on several occasions during this time, which encouraged him to "smarten up, to focus".[19][20] During this time, Tesfaye frequently engaged in drug use, including substances such asketamine,cocaine,MDMA,magic mushrooms, andcough syrup,[21] stating that drugs were a "crutch" for him when he wrote music.[22] Before releasing music under his current stage name, he went under the alias "Kin Kane", as part of a hip-hop duo called "Bulleez n Nerdz",[9] and was part of a production team called 'the Noise'.[23][24]
In August 2009, Tesfaye began anonymously releasing music onYouTube.[25][26] The following year, he met the producer Jeremy Rose at a party. Rose asked Tesfaye if he wanted to work together as a dark R&B project after hearing him freestyle over an instrumental. After creating multiple songs and parting ways due to creative differences, Tesfaye was allowed to use the songs they made together under the condition that Rose received production credits.[27] In December 2010, Tesfaye uploaded "What You Need", "Loft Music" and "The Morning" to YouTube under the username "xoxxxoooxo".[28][29] His identity remained undisclosed initially. These songs gained attention online and were later acknowledged in a blog post by the rapperDrake.[27][30] The songs subsequently received coverage from various media outlets, includingPitchfork andThe New York Times.[31]
In 2011, Tesfaye met music executivesWassim "Sal" Slaiby andAmir "Cash" Esmailian, with whom, along with Taylor, he founded theXO record label.[32] On March 21, Tesfaye released his debut mixtape,House of Balloons,[c] which featured production fromIllangelo andDoc McKinney. The mixtape also included tracks produced by Rose, although he did not receive production credits.[27]House of Balloons was named as one of the ten shortlisted nominees for the2011 Polaris Music Prize.[36]
Tesfaye started working with Drake in May 2011, eventually earning a spot at the latter'sOVO Fest on July 31.[37] In July 2011, Tesfaye held his first live performance at theMod Club Theatre in Toronto.[38] He also participated in concerts hosted by the Black Student Association at theUniversity of Toronto.[39] On August 18, Tesfaye released his second mixtape,Thursday, which garnered usually positive reviews.[40] Tesfaye contributed to four songs on Drake's second studio album,Take Care, released on November 15, as a songwriter, producer and a featured artist on the album's seventh single, "Crew Love".[41] He released his third mixtape,Echoes of Silence, on December 21. It was a longlisted nominee for the2012 Polaris Music Prize.[42][43]
In April 2012, Tesfaye began performing at more shows, such as theCoachella Festival,[44] and two sold-out shows at theBowery Ballroom in New York City.[44][45] He also performed at various European festivals, such asPrimavera Sound in Spain and Portugal[46] and theWireless Festival in the United Kingdom.[d] In September, Tesfaye signed withRepublic Records; XO was assumed as asubsidiary label.[50] That same month, he embarked on his first concert tour, the Fall Tour, which included his own headlining shows and some opening shows for the English bandFlorence and the Machine. The tour was performed in North America in September to November 2012.[51]
On November 13, 2012, Tesfaye releasedTrilogy, a compilation album comprising re-mixed and remastered versions of his 2011 mixtapes, and three additional tracks.[52] The album debuted at number four on the USBillboard 200 with first-week sales of 86,000 copies,[53] and has receivedplatinum certifications from theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and double-platinum fromMusic Canada.[54][55] It also earned Tesfaye a nomination for theSound of 2013 poll award byBBC.[56]
On May 17, 2013, Tesfaye released thetitle track to his debut studio album,Kiss Land[57] and announced the album's release date of September 10.[58] Upon its release, the album debuted at number two on theBillboard 200 with 96,000 copies[59] and received generally positive reviews from music critics.[60] Tesfaye further promoted the album with a fall tour that occurred in North America and England in September to November 2013.[61] Between November 6 and 13, he served as an opening act forJustin Timberlake duringThe 20/20 Experience World Tour.[62] He also contributed two songs to thesoundtrack for the 2013 filmThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire, "Devil May Cry" and the soundtrack's second single, "Elastic Heart" withSia andDiplo.[63]
On May 27, 2015, Tesfaye released the second single fromBeauty Behind the Madness, "The Hills".[71] The single debuted at number twenty on theBillboard Hot 100, and peaked at number one, becoming Tesfaye's second number-one single, following "Can't Feel My Face", which had reached the number one position before it. In June 2019, "The Hills" wascertified diamond by the RIAA, marking Tesfaye's first diamond-certified record.[72][73]
In June 2015, after winning the Centric Award at theBET Awards, Tesfaye performed "Earned It" withAlicia Keys.[74] On June 8, he released the song "Can't Feel My Face" as the album's third single. The track was previously leaked in May, but was released as a single following a performance by Tesfaye at theApple Worldwide Developers Conference.[75] The single debuted at number twenty-four on theBillboard Hot 100, and peaked at number one, making it Tesfaye's third top 10 hit and his first number-one song in the United States.[76][77] The song was nominated forRecord of the Year andBest Pop Solo Performance at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.[78] He occupied all three slots onBillboard'sHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart simultaneously with the aforementioned singles, becoming the first artist in history to accomplish this.[79] He was also unveiled as one of the musical faces of the streaming service Apple Music, alongside Drake.[80] During the2015 MTV Video Music Awards, Apple debuted a two-part promotional commercial featuring Tesfaye, which had a guest appearance fromJohn Travolta.[81] In July, Tesfaye headlined the inaugural FVDED in the Park festival inSurrey, British Columbia.[82] On June 29, Tesfaye was featured onMeek Mill's second studio albumDreams Worth More Than Money (2015), on the track "Pullin' Up".[83]
Beauty Behind the Madness, Tesfaye's second studio album, was released on August 28, 2015, and debuted atop theBillboard 200, earning 412,000album-equivalent units in its first week.[84][85] It reached the top 10 in over ten countries and reached number one in Canada, Australia, Norway, and the United Kingdom.[86][87] The album was promoted by Tesfaye headlining various summer music festivals, includingLollapalooza, theHard Summer Music Festival, and theBumbershoot Festival.[88] He announcedThe Madness Fall Tour, his first large-scale tour across the United States, which began in November, and concluded in December.[89][90] The album was certified double platinum in the U.S., and sold 1.5 million copies worldwide.[91] It was the most-streamed album in 2015, with over 60 million streams,[92] and was ranked on multiple lists of albums of the year.[93] The three singles that preceded the album were certified platinum in the United States.[94] The album wonBest Urban Contemporary Album and was nominated forAlbum of the Year at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.[95]
On September 4, 2015, Tesfaye was featured onTravis Scott's debut albumRodeo, on the track "Pray 4 Love".[96] On October 10, Tesfaye appeared onSaturday Night Live alongside actressAmy Schumer, performing as the show's musical guest.[97][98] This was his first performance on the show as a solo artist, after appearing with Ariana Grande to perform "Love Me Harder".[98] In November, he began his debutarena tour,The Madness Fall Tour, which included shows at Toronto'sAir Canada Centre and New York City'sMadison Square Garden. On December 18, Tesfaye was featured onBelly's single "Might Not" from his eighth mixtapeUp For Days.[99]
On February 14, 2016, Tesfaye was featured onKanye West's seventh studio albumThe Life of Pablo on the track "FML".[100][101] It marked their second collaboration, with West previously writing and producing on Tesfaye's track "Tell Your Friends" fromBeauty Behind the Madness. On March 1, Tesfaye was featured onFuture's single "Low Life" from his fourth studio albumEvol.[102] On April 23, he was featured on Beyoncé's sixth studio albumLemonade on the track "6 Inch".[103] On August 26, Tesfaye was featured onCashmere Cat's single "Wild Love" withFrancis and the Lights, which served as the lead single from Cashmere Cat's debut studio album9 (2017).[104]
In September 2016, Tesfaye announced that his third studio album,Starboy, would be released on November 25, and included collaborations with now-disbanded French electronic music duoDaft Punk.[105][106] He released the album'stitle track, which featured the duo on September 21.[107] The song debuted at number 40 on theBillboard Hot 100, and peaked at number one, making it Tesfaye's third number-one single.[108] As of March 2023, the song is certified Diamond by the RIAA.[109] Their second collaboration, "I Feel It Coming" was released on November 24. The single peaked at number four on theBillboard Hot 100.[110] On October 1, Tesfaye made a second appearance onSaturday Night Live as the musical guest alongside actressMargot Robbie. During the show, he performed "Starboy" and "False Alarm".[111] On November 23, he released the short filmM A N I A. Directed by Grant Singer, it featured excerpts from the album, including snippets from "All I Know" featuringFuture, "Sidewalks" featuringKendrick Lamar, "Secrets" and "Die for You".[112] Upon release, the album debuted at number one on the U.S.Billboard 200 with 348,000 units, making it Tesfaye's second consecutive number-one album.[113] As of January 2019, the album is certifiedtriple platinum by the RIAA.[114] The album won Best Urban Contemporary Album at the60th Annual Grammy Awards, making it Tesfaye's second win in the category.[115]
On February 17, 2017, the Weeknd began his fifth concert tour, calledStarboy: Legend of the Fall Tour. The tour was in support of his third studio albumStarboy and concluded on December 14, 2017. He visited the continents Europa, North- and South America and Oceania. On February 15, 2017, Tesfaye was featured onNav's commercial debut single "Some Way", which also served as the lead single from hisself-titled mixtape.[116] On February 24, he appeared on Future's sixth studio albumHndrxx, on the song "Comin Out Strong".[117] On April 19, Tesfaye appeared on thetitle track and second single fromLana Del Rey'sfifth studio album.[118][119] On August 15, he was featured onFrench Montana's track "A Lie", the third single from his second studio albumJungle Rules. He then appeared on theVirgil Abloh-directed music video forLil Uzi Vert's "XO Tour Llif3" alongside Nav. He was later featured on Lil Uzi Vert's debut albumLuv Is Rage 2 on the track "UnFazed" and onGucci Mane's eleventh studio albumMr. Davis on the track "Curve".
Tesfaye performing in Hong Kong in November 2018
On February 2, 2018, Tesfaye contributed to thesoundtrack forBlack Panther on the song "Pray for Me" with Kendrick Lamar. The track served as the third single from the soundtrack, and peaked at number seven on theBillboard Hot 100.[120][121]
On March 30, 2018, Tesfaye released his debutextended playMy Dear Melancholy,[122][123] after news of the project were teased and leaked.[124][125] The EP debuted at number one on theBillboard 200 with 169,000 units, making it Tesfaye's third consecutive number-one album and the shortest album, by track count, to top the chart in eight years.[126] On April 6, Tesfaye released the EP's lead single "Call Out My Name", which peaked at number four on theBillboard Hot 100.[127][128] On April 13, he headlined theCoachella Valley Music and Arts Festival for the first time.[129][130] He appeared in multiple festivals throughout 2018 to support the EP, most notably theMawazine Festival in Morocco,[131] Lollapalooza in both Chicago and Berlin,[132] and a post-race concert at theAbu Dhabi Grand Prix.[133]
On November 24, 2019, Tesfaye teased his single "Blinding Lights" through aMercedes-Benz commercial.[140] On November 27, he released "Heartless" as the lead single from his fourth studio album. The song debuted at number thirty-two on theBillboard Hot 100 and peaked at number one, making it Tesfaye's fourth number-one single.[141][142] "Blinding Lights" was released two days after the release of "Heartless" on November 29. The single debuted at number eleven on theBillboard Hot 100 and peaked at number one, making it Tesfaye's fifth number-one single.[143] "Blinding Lights" would then go on to become the first song in the chart's history to hold a spot in the top ten for an entire year.[144] It also became thelongest charting song by a solo artist on the Hot 100 at 90 weeks, ending the week of September 11, 2021.[145][146] On November 23, 2021, "Blinding Lights" was ranked as the #1 Greatest Hot 100 Hit of All Time byBillboard, surpassing "The Twist" byChubby Checker.[147] On January 1, 2023, it became the most streamed song on Spotify with 3.3 billion streams.[148]
On February 19, 2020, Tesfaye revealed that his fourth studio album would be titledAfter Hours, and would be released on March 20. He also released the album'stitle track as a promotional single.[149] On March 7, he made his third appearance as a musical guest onSaturday Night Live, alongside actorDaniel Craig. On the show, he performed "Blinding Lights" and debuted the track "Scared to Live".[150] Tesfaye released the album's third single "In Your Eyes" on March 24. The track peaked at number sixteen on theBillboard Hot 100.[151]
Upon release,[152]After Hours debuted atop theBillboard 200, earning 444,000 units, marking Tesfaye's fourth consecutive number-one album.[153] It became the most streamed R&B album of all time, surpassing Tesfaye's ownStarboy.[154][155] In the album's first charting week, Tesfaye also became the first artist to lead theBillboard 200,Billboard Hot 100,Billboard Artist 100, Hot 100 Songwriters and Hot 100 Producers charts simultaneously, and repeated his lead the following week.[156][157] The deluxe version ofAfter Hours was released on March 29, 2020, and contained the tracks "Nothing Compares", "Missed You" and "Final Lullaby".[158]
Over 2021, Tesfaye reissued his three mixtapes in its authentic form with the original mixes and samples to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their release, withHouse of Balloons coming first in March 2021.[180]Thursday's reissue followed in August 2021,[181][182] and in December,Echoes of Silence was reissued.[183][184]
On April 23, Tesfaye released a remix of "Save Your Tears" with Ariana Grande, marking their third collaboration.[185] The remix launched the song to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 on the chart dated May 8, 2021, becoming both artists' sixth number one hit.[186] He later began to tease new music in the same month. When asked about a new album during an interview withVariety, he explained that "if the last record is theAfter Hours of the night, thenThe Dawn is coming".[187] On May 11, Tesfaye performed "Save Your Tears" at theBrit Awards. He also accepted his first Brit Award forInternational Male Solo Artist, which was presented to him by formerfirst lady of the United StatesMichelle Obama.[188][189] On May 24, Tesfaye performed "Save Your Tears" at theBillboard Music Awards. He was nominated for a record sixteen awards, and won ten, includingTop Artist andTop Hot 100 Song. When accepting his awards, Tesfaye continued to tease new music by saying "theAfter Hours are done, andThe Dawn is coming".[190] On May 28, he performed the remix of "Save Your Tears" at theiHeartRadio Music Awards with Ariana Grande. On June 25, Tesfaye appeared onDoja Cat's single "You Right" from her third studio albumPlanet Her.[191] On July 22, he appeared on Belly's single "Better Believe" withYoung Thug from his third studio albumSee You Next Wednesday.[192]
On October 4, 2021, during an episode ofMemento Mori, Tesfaye revealed that his fifth studio album was complete and that he was waiting on a "couple characters that are key to the narrative."[199] On October 18, Tesfaye announced that his upcoming tour, originally titled the After Hours Tour, would be held entirely in stadiums due to arena constraints and was scheduled to commence in July 2022.[200] The tour was renamed as theAfter Hours til Dawn Tour, and would incorporate elements from his fourth and fifth studio albums.[201][202]
Tesfaye released his fifth studio albumDawn FM on January 7, 2022.[212] Upon release, the album debuted at number two on theBillboard 200 with 148,000 units, marking Tesfaye's eighth top ten entry and his second non-consecutive album to debut at number two.[213][214] He also broke the record for the most simultaneous entries for a male soloist on theBillboard Global 200, with twenty-four songs on the chart.[215][216] In addition to "Take My Breath",Dawn FM was supported by the singles "Sacrifice" and "Out of Time".[217][218] February 26, Tesfaye premieredThe Dawn FM Experience, a television music special in partnership withAmazon Prime Video.[219]
On February 24, 2023, following months-long renewed interest in and virality of the Weeknd's 2016 song "Die for You", which began charting in 2022 and reached a new peak of 6 on theBillboard Hot 100 6 years after its release,a remix of the song featuring Ariana Grande was released. The remix marked their fourth collaboration.[226][227] In theBillboard Hot 100 issue dated March 11, 2023, the remix reached the top of the chart, becoming both artists' seventh number one hit.[228] On February 27, 2023, in the wake of the remix's success, the Weeknd became the first artist to surpass 100 million monthly listeners on Spotify.[229]
On March 3, 2023, the Weeknd released his first live album, titledLive at SoFi Stadium.[230] It featured recordings from his HBO concert film of the same name, showcasing the last concert of the North American leg of hisAfter Hours til Dawn Tour atSoFi Stadium. He subsequently featured on four songs—"Artificial Intelligence", "Defame Moi", "More Coke!!", and "Emotionless"—fromMike Dean's album4:23, released on April 29, 2023. In May 2023, the Weeknd stated that he was intending to retire the moniker of "the Weeknd" in favor of performing under his birth name, or adopting a new pseudonym altogether. He explained that his upcoming album would most likely serve as his "final hurrah" under the name.[231]
2023–present:The Idol andHurry Up Tomorrow
The Weeknd co-created theHBO drama seriesThe Idol withSam Levinson, and stars in the show alongsideLily-Rose Depp. The series premiered at the2023 Cannes Film Festival out of competition, where it received significant controversy for its graphic depiction of onscreen nudity and sexual content. The series debuted to widespread negative reviews from critics.The Hollywood Reporter stated that the series confirms the allegations that "Instead of subtly skewering the misogynistic and predatory nature of the business,The Idol became a forbidden love story — the stuff of a toxic man's fantasy", and called it "regressive rather than transgressive".[232] He received negative reviews for his acting, with critic Robert Daniels ofThe Playlist writing, "Tesfaye is also a terrible actor. He lacks the comfortability, the gravitas, charisma, and charm to increase the viability of Jocelyn being attracted to him. In most scenes, Tesfaye either hides under the cover of dim lighting, obtrusive coverage, or re-recorded dialogue dubbed into several scenes."[233] On August 28, 2023, HBO announced it had cancelledThe Idol after one season.[234]
On July 21, Tesfaye appeared on Travis Scott's lead single "K-pop" from his fourth studio albumUtopia,[237] and later appeared on another track on Scott's album, "Circus Maximus". Tesfaye appeared onDiddy's single "Another One of Me" on September 15, which he called his "final feature",[238][239] despite releasing multiple collaborations withMetro Boomin andFuture in 2024.
On December 2, 2023,Fortnite announced that the Weeknd would be featured as the headlining artist for itsFortnite Festival gamemode and outfits of him would become available to play with on December 9. His outfits have three different variants of himself; the red suit seen throughout the promotional material forAfter Hours, the outfit from his 2022 Coachella performance, and two of the costumes that he was seen wearing during the After Hours til Dawn Tour.[240]
Tesfaye first teased news of a follow-up album toDawn FM in 2022, telling his fans: "[I] wonder... did you know you're experiencing a new trilogy?" viaTwitter.[241] On January 8, 2024, he further teased an upcoming album, posting pictures of his last two albums and a question mark on his social media.[242] On March 22, 2024, he appeared on the track "Young Metro" from Future andMetro Boomin's collaborative album,We Don't Trust You as well as several tracks on Future and Metro Boomin'sWe Still Don't Trust You album.[243]
On July 17, 2024, Tesfaye announced a one-night show in São Paulo, Brazil, set to take place on September 7, 2024.[244] He announced the title of his upcoming sixth album,Hurry Up Tomorrow, three days prior to the concert.[245][246] The album was released on January 31, 2025.[247]
Tesfaye citesMichael Jackson,Prince, andR. Kelly as his main musical inspirations.[248] He has attributed Jackson's music as key in spurring him to be a singer, referencing the lyrics to "Dirty Diana" as an example.[9] His high-flying vocal style was influenced by Ethiopian singers such asAster Aweke.[9] He grew up listening to a variety of music genres, includingsoul,hip hop,funk,indie rock, andpost-punk.[249] Tesfaye is heavily influenced by1980s music, and credits the video gameGrand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) for "opening my eyes" to the music of that era.[250] "I've always had an admiration for the era before I was born", he said in an interview forBillboard. "You can hear it as far back as my first mixtape that the '80s –Siouxsie and the Banshees,Cocteau Twins – play such a huge role in my sound."[251]
Tesfaye's songs are "built around a fogged,crepuscular production",[261] and feature slowtempos,[262] rumbling bass, and forlorn echoes.[8] His music incorporatessamples that are unconventional in R&B production, includingpunk,shoegaze,dream pop andalternative rock.[263]Marc Hogan ofSpin says that Tesfaye's samples tend "to draw fromrock critic-approved sources, though generally ones that already share elements of his sexual menace", sampling artists such asBeach House, Siouxsie and the Banshees andAaliyah.[264] Tesfaye worked mostly with producersIllangelo andDoc McKinney, whom Ian Cohen ofPitchfork credits with developing "a state-of-the-artR&B template" with the artist.[262] In concert, Tesfaye reappropriates his digitized productions with asuite-likearena rock aesthetic.[8]
His emotional, plaintive lyrics often express feelings of hurt and deal with subject matter such as sex,[261] drugs, and partying; this is seen especially inAfter Hours andHouse of Balloons.[8]Hermione Hoby ofThe Guardian characterizes Tesfaye's songs as "narcotised-slow jams" and delineates their message as "partying is an existential experience, sex is fraught with alienation, and everything registers as unreal and unsettling."[261] Paul MacInnes ofThe Guardian stated that he views Tesfaye's three mixtapes as "a rough trajectory of party, after-party andhangover."[265] Anupa Mistry of theToronto Standard observes throughout his mixtapes a "cast of supine, stoned zombie-women... whose legs willingly part after being plied with substances and who morph into threats only when [he is]coming down and feeling vulnerable."[8] Tesfaye has stated that by singing vulgar, ignorant lyrics in an elegant, sexy way, he is "paying homage to R Kelly, and even Prince to a certain extent."[266]
Voice and music style
Tesfaye often sings in afalsetto register.[267]J. D. Considine finds his singing's "tremulous quality" similar to Michael Jackson, but writes that he eschews Jackson's "strong basis in theblues" for a moreArabic-influencedmelisma.[263] Tesfaye possesses a wide light-lyrictenor vocal range, which spans over three octaves. His vocal range reaches its extreme low at the bass F (F2), and its peak high at the tenor G♯ (G♯5), with a naturaltessitura within the upper fourth octave.[268][269] Tesfaye often makes use of hishead voice to build resonance to belt out strong high notes within the fifth octave.[269] Tesfaye's vocals have a recognizableEthiopian characteristic. Hannah Giogis ofPitchfork notes that "his trademarkvibrato, the characteristically pained whine that pervades much of Tesfaye's music, draws from a long Ethiopian musical legacy of tortured pining. Imbuing our voices with the shaky pain of loss—romantic or otherwise—is a hallmark of Ethiopian musical tradition. Tesfaye, with hisstaccato wails and aching nostalgia, is a young, North American addition to a dynasty ofmelodramatic Ethiopian singers."[270] In 2023,Rolling Stone ranked the Weeknd at number 110 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.[271]
Tesfaye's discography spanspop,R&B,hip hop,dance,alternative andnew wave genres.[272] His work is generally categorized asalternative R&B, due to his contributions in broadening the genre's musical palette to incorporateindie andelectronic styles.[273][274] Mistry writes that he "will be obsequiously praised as the future of R&B music—because Tesfaye is a black singer, not because he's making quantifiable, canonical R&B."[8] Tesfaye shared his thoughts on the primary label during an interview withTime in 2015, stating: "Alternative R&B is in my soul. It's not going anywhere. When I put out songs fromHouse of Balloons in 2010, people said I made R&B cool again. I'm assuming that's when the label was created. I feel honored that a good part of today's music is inspired by it, consciously or subconsciously. The only way I could have done that was to be ambitious and grand."[275] Tesfaye's first three mixtapes;House of Balloons,Thursday andEchoes of Silence, are alternative R&B projects that draw on dream pop, post-punk andtrip hop, amongst others.[276][277] His debut studio albumKiss Land is categorized as R&B anddark wave.[278] His next three albums,Beauty Behind the Madness,Starboy andAfter Hours, are considered R&B and pop; withStarboy utilizing heavytrap influences,[279][280] andAfter Hours drawing on new wave and dream pop influences.[281][282] Tesfaye's fifth studio albumDawn FM exploresdance-pop andsynth-pop genres.[283][284]
Controversies
Feuds
Previously friends in the music industry, Tesfaye andDrake's dispute began in 2019, when the former disapproved of Drake's friendship with ex-girlfriend, Bella Hadid.[285] The feud intensified when Tesfaye echoed an alleged publication of Drake's hiding of his son from the media, specifically on theGesaffelstein track, "Lost in the Fire".[286] They squashed their dispute in 2022,[287] a year after Drake defended Tesfaye's decision not to submit his music for Grammy award considerations.[288] However, on March 22, 2024, the feud reiginited when Tesfaye appeared onFuture andMetro Boomin's collaborative album,We Still Don't Trust You, on the track "All to Myself", which he proclaimed that he was "proud that [he] didn't sell his soul to the devil", referring to Drake's imprint,OVO Sound.[289] Drake later involved Tesfaye in his ongoing feuds with Metro Boomin andKendrick Lamar through his responding diss tracks.[290]
Tesfaye was also involved in minor disputes with singerUsher,[291] and rapperLil B.[292]
Plagiarism allegations
In December 2015, Tesfaye was sued by Cutting Edge Music, which alleged that thebassline for "The Hills" had been taken from a composition featured in the score for the 2013science fiction filmThe Machine.[293] One of the producers of the song was alleged to have sent a privateTwitter message to Tom Raybould, the composer of the film's score, to tell him about the sample.[294] In September 2018, Tesfaye andDaft Punk were sued for allegedly stealing the rhythm for "Starboy" from Ethiopian poet and singer-songwriter Yasminah.[295] Tesfaye denied the allegations.[296]
In April 2019, Tesfaye was sued by British trio William Smith, Brian Clover, and Scott McCulloch, who accused Tesfaye ofcopyright infringement from plagiarising their song "I Need to Love" in order to create his song "A Lonely Night". They sought $150,000 from Tesfaye andBelly. In August 2019, the lawsuit was dismissed viasummary judgment with the option to amend, with the court ruling that they had failed to show that Tesfaye or anyone else involved in making "A Lonely Night" had access to their song or that the works were substantially similar.[297] In September 2019, the plaintiffs filed an amended claim based on secondary infringement, which is still in litigation.[298][299]
In February 2020, Tesfaye andKendrick Lamar were sued by the now-defunct indie bandYeasayer, claiming that "Pray for Me" includes an unauthorized sample of their song "Sunrise".[300] Later that year, Yeasayer voluntarily dismissed their lawsuit.[301] In September 2021, Tesfaye,Nicolás Jaar, andFrank Dukes were sued for copyright infringement by producers Suniel Fox and Henry Strange, protesting that "Call Out My Name" is "strikingly [or] substantially similar, if not identical" to their 2015 track "Vibeking".[302][303]
Allegations of homophobic lyrics
In January 2019, Tesfaye was criticized for some of the lyrics in his andGesaffelstein's single "Lost in the Fire". The second verse of the song, with the lines "You said you might beinto girls, said you're going through a phase / Keeping your heart safe / Well, baby, you can bring a friend / She canride on top your face / While I fuck youstraight", were accused of beinghomophobic, fetishizingbisexuality, and perpetuating the falsehood that a person who identifies as being part of theLGBTQ+ community can be "turned straight".[304][305] Tesfaye subtly addressed the controversy in the song "Snowchild" fromAfter Hours, with the lines "Every month another accusation / Only thing I'm phobic of is failing".[306][307]
The Idol allegations
On March 1, 2023,Rolling Stone released a lengthy exposé on the working conditions and set life of theHBO drama seriesThe Idol, a series in which Tesfaye stars, co-created and co-wrote alongsideSam Levinson. The series received significant controversy for its graphic depiction of sexual content, which critics labeled "torture porn". The series was originally directed byAmy Seimetz who suddenly "exited with roughly 80 percent of the six-episode series finished". The series saw a major creative overhaul, as it was reported that Tesfaye felt the show had too much of a "female perspective". Over 14 crew members alleged a toxic work environment with one adding "What I signed up for was a dark satire of fame and the fame model in the 21st century..." however, "It went from satire to the thing it was satirizing." Sources alleged that Seimetz's approach to the story was scrapped and the show became "like anyrape fantasy that any toxic man would have in the show — and then the woman comes back for more because it makes her music better".[308]
In response to the allegations, Tesfaye mocked the reporting on his Twitter account, posting a clip of the characters in the show discussing the magazine saying, "Rolling Stone? Aren't they a little irrelevant?". Tesfaye posted the comment in the caption: "@Rolling Stone did we upset you?".[309][310] Tesfaye's response received widespread criticism.[311] In an interview withVanity Fair, he continued to dismiss the reporting, saying that logistical difficulties with Seimetz's schedule and production timelines, as well as a desire not to rush his first show, propelled the overhaul.[312]
On June 29, 2021, Tesfaye announced that he would be co-creating, co-writing, executive producing and starring in theHBO television drama seriesThe Idol, alongside his producing partner Reza Fahim andEuphoria creatorSam Levinson.[319] On March 20, 2022, Tesfaye voiced two characters during an episode ofThe Simpsons.[320]
In 2013, Tesfaye collaborated withcondom company ONE to give away limited-edition condoms at his shows during the Kiss Land Fall Tour.[323][324] In November 2015, he partnered withelectronic vaporizer companyPax Labs to release a limited edition vaporizer.[325][326] He also collaborated with fashion designerAlexander Wang for an apparel collection.[327] In 2016, Tesfaye became a creative collaborator andglobal brand ambassador for the clothing brandPuma.[328] With the partnership, he released numerous capsule collections and hosted severalpop-up retail stores.[329][330]
In 2017, Tesfaye partnered with retail companyH&M for their men's collection.[331] He cut ties with the company in 2018, following a racist incident within the company.[332] In July 2018, Tesfaye collaborated withMarvel Comics to release a comic book inspired by his third studio albumStarboy.[333] In August, he released an apparel collection in collaboration withA Bathing Ape.[334][335] A second collection was released in January 2020.[336]
On August 31, 2020, Tesfaye partnered withTD Bank to launch Black HXOUSE, an entrepreneurial initiative within the incubator HXOUSE, where he serves as asleeping partner.[338] On September 9, Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau announced a CA$221,000,000 joint venture with HXOUSE for Black Canadian entrepreneurs.[339]
In 2022, Tesfaye invested in plant-based beverage brandKoia.[343]
Philanthropy
After being presented with a Bikila Award for Professional Excellence in 2014, Tesfaye donated CA$50,000 to theUniversity of Toronto to fund a new course onGe'ez, the classic language of Ethiopia.[344] In May 2016, duringOrthodox Easter, Tesfaye donated CA$50,000 to the St. MaryEthiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Cathedral in Toronto, Canada, a church he attended growing up.[345][346] In August 2016, he funded a newEthiopian studies program at the University of Toronto.[347]
In June 2017, Tesfaye donated US$100,000 to the Suubi Health Center, a maternity and children's medical facility in Budondo,Uganda. He was inspired to support the center after learning ofFrench Montana's work withGlobal Citizen and Mama Hope to help raise awareness for Suubi and the people of Uganda.[348]
On August 7, 2020, Tesfaye held the "Weeknd Experience", an interactivevirtual concert on the social media platformTikTok that drew two million total viewers, including 275,000 concurrent viewers. The concert raised over US$350,000 for theEqual Justice Initiative. He also donated US$300,000 to Global Aid for Lebanon in support of victims of theBeirut explosion.[356][357] On November 2, theUniversity of Toronto announced that it was able to reach and surpass its fundraising goal of CA$500,000 for itsEthiopic program, which included a CA$30,000 donation from Tesfaye.[358] In May 2021, he was among the celebrities expressing more solidarity for civilians who died during the2021 Israel–Palestine crisis.[359][360] On September 23, Tesfaye was honored with theQuincy Jones Humanitarian Award at the inaugural Music in Action Awards, presented by the Black Music Action Coalition.[361]
On January 9, 2024, Tesfaye partnered with the non-profit organizationSchool on Wheels Inc. to support more than 1,000 students experiencing homelessness.[362] To coincide with his concert in Brazil, Tesfaye released merchandise and will donate 10% of the net profits to the Brazilian Soul Fund of BrazilFoundation.[363][364]
WFP ambassadorship
On April 4, 2021, Tesfaye announced a US$1,000,000 donation through theUnited NationsWorld Food Programme (WFP) to relief efforts inEthiopia for people affected by theTigray War.[365] On June 9, he met with the administrator of theUnited States Agency for International Development,Samantha Power, to discuss the humanitarian crisis of the Tigray War.[366] Tesfaye was appointed as a UNGoodwill Ambassador for the World Food Programme on October 7.[367][368] On March 3, 2022, he partnered with the WFP to launch the XO Humanitarian Fund. Through the fund, Tesfaye was to donate US$1 from every ticket sold at hisAfter Hours til Dawn Tour, in addition to a US$500,000 donation, to the WFP.[369] $2,500,000 from the XO Humanitarian Fund was directed toward WFP's humanitarian response efforts in theGaza Strip, providing four million emergency meals for those affected by theIsraeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.[370][371] On April 29, 2024, Tesfaye announced he will donate another $2 million to Palestine as loaves of bread.[372]
Personal life
Tesfaye prefers to keep his personal life out of the public eye.[373][374] In the beginning of his career, he refrained from participating in interviews and instead chose to communicate viaTwitter, which he attributed to shyness and insecurities.[375] He prefers to be interviewed only in rare situations.[376] Tesfaye was raised as anEthiopian Orthodox Christian.[9][17] When asked whether or not he was still religious, he stated toVariety in 2020, "I dunno...everything is a test, and if you are religious or spiritual, you have to go through things."[377]
From April 2015 to August 2019, Tesfaye was in anon-again, off-again relationship with American modelBella Hadid.[378][379] She starred in the music video for his single "In the Night" in December 2015.[380] He dated American singer-actressSelena Gomez from January to October 2017.[381][382] Both of the relationships received widespread media attention, and were the topic oftabloid speculation.[383][384][385] Tesfaye has been in a relationship with Saudi-born disc jockey Simi Khadra since February 2022.[386] Publications noticed that unlike his previous romances with Hadid and Gomez, Tesfaye keeps his relationship with Khadra private from the press.[387]
Tesfaye's hairstyle, which has been described as one of his most recognizable traits, has been claimed to be partly inspired by American artistJean-Michel Basquiat.[9][388] He began growing it out in 2011 and remarked at how easy it was to maintain with "a hard shampoo every once in a while".[9] He cut his hair in 2016, prior to the release ofStarboy.[389] On social media, Tesfaye typically suffixed his first name with "xo",[390] which is often used as anemoticon forhugs and kisses.[390] According toThe Guardian'sHermione Hoby, this was his intention, though others believe it was a reference to his recreational use ofecstasy andoxycodone.[391][392] He later altered the handles on his social media to reflect his stage name in preparation for the release ofStarboy.[393] In August 2021, during a cover story withGQ, he described himself as being "sober lite", meaning that he has stopped using drugs with the exception ofmarijuana. He also noted that he drinks alcohol occasionally, stating: "I'm not a heavy drinker, as much as I used to be. The romance of drinking isn't there."[394]
In January 2015, Tesfaye was arrested for allegedly punching a police officer inLas Vegas after being taken into an elevator to break up a fight.[395][396] He pleadedno contest and was sentenced to complete fifty hours ofcommunity service.[397]
In October 2014, Tesfaye was awarded theAllan Slaight Honour byCanada's Walk of Fame for "making a positive impact in the fields of music, film, literature, visual or performing arts, sports, innovation or philanthropy".[408]
^Ethiopians do not use surnames but rather their father's first name as their family name. Makkonen would traditionally be his family name and Tesfaye would be his grandfather's name.
^Tesfaye's biological parents were never married. When Tesfaye made a donation to theUniversity of Toronto's Ethiopic program in November 2020, the full name of his mother was revealed as Samrawit Hailu.[7]
^Guest musician during the Weeknd's co-headlining Coachella performance
^Other former members include those part of his early performances in 2011 and tours in 2012 and 2013 (prior to the Kiss Land Fall Tour), during which he had other guitar, bass, and keyboard players, as well as two female backup singers; these former members' names are unknown.
^Kameir, Rawiya; Hockley-Smith, Sam; Mistry, Anupa (March 21, 2016),"How House of Balloons Changed R&B",The Fader,archived from the original on January 7, 2021,Five years since its veiled release, a conversation about The Weeknd's debut and its influence on contemporary pop music...The album was documenting a nascent scene that has gone on to shift the cultural paradigm of Toronto, and it did so through a sound that has had a lasting effect on contemporary pop music.
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