The Weeknd
Who was The Weeknd?
Canadian singer and songwriter (born 1990)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on The Weeknd (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, was born on February 16, 1990, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He became one of the major artists of the 2010s, mixing dark alternative R&B with pop to create a unique sound that changed modern music. Raised by his Ethiopian immigrant grandmother in Toronto's Scarborough district after his father left when he was young, Tesfaye dropped out of high school at 17 and began exploring music production and songwriting.
The Weeknd's career took off in 2010 when he started uploading songs to YouTube under a stage name, which he created by dropping the 'e' from 'weekend' due to copyright issues with a Canadian band. He gained attention in 2011 with three well-received mixtapes: House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. These, called the Trilogy, built his image for creating atmospheric, moody music that touched on love, lust, and substance abuse over a darker, electronic backdrop.
His move to mainstream success started with the 2012 compilation album Trilogy and his first studio album Kiss Land in 2013. But it was his 2015 album Beauty Behind the Madness that made him a global star, with the hit single 'Can't Feel My Face' and the Grammy-winning 'Earned It' from the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. This commercial success showed his ability to keep his dark style while creating catchy hits.
The Weeknd kept evolving with albums like Starboy (2016) and After Hours (2020), the latter featuring 'Blinding Lights,' one of the longest-charting songs in Billboard Hot 100 history. His music videos and live shows are known for their creativity, using cinematic storytelling and elaborate stage setups. Besides his solo work, he has teamed up with many big-name artists and worked on major film soundtracks, becoming a recording artist and a cultural icon who has influenced fashion, music production techniques, and the broader look of today's pop culture.
Before Fame
Growing up in Toronto's Scarborough neighborhood, Abel Tesfaye was mainly raised by his Ethiopian grandmother, Euclea, who worked several jobs to support the family after his father left when he was young. His mother, Makkonen, also worked long hours, so Abel often had to take care of himself. He found comfort in music, especially enjoying artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, and R&B groups like Boyz II Men. As a teenager, he struggled in school and socially, eventually dropping out of Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute at age 17.
In the late 2000s and early 2010s, the music industry went through a big change, with digital platforms allowing independent artists to skip traditional barriers. Social media and streaming services began making music distribution more accessible, giving bedroom producers and self-taught musicians a chance to reach audiences directly. This tech shift came alongside a growing interest in alternative R&B that pushed the genre's usual limits. This created an opening for artists like The Weeknd, who brought innovative sounds blending electronic production with traditional soul and R&B vocals.
Key Achievements
- Won four Grammy Awards including Best Urban Contemporary Album for Beauty Behind the Madness
- Achieved diamond certification for multiple singles including 'The Hills' and 'Can't Feel My Face'
- Became the first artist to claim the top three positions on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart simultaneously
- Headlined Super Bowl LV halftime show in 2021, watched by over 103 million viewers
- His single 'Blinding Lights' became the longest-charting song in Billboard Hot 100 history
Did You Know?
- 01.He chose the name 'The Weeknd' by dropping the 'e' from 'weekend' because there was already a Canadian band called Weekend
- 02.His song 'Earned It' was specifically written for the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack and earned him an Academy Award nomination
- 03.He performed at the Super Bowl LV halftime show in 2021, spending $7 million of his own money to enhance the production
- 04.His album 'Beauty Behind the Madness' was the first album by a Canadian male solo artist to top the Billboard 200 since Michael Bublé in 2007
- 05.He co-wrote and provided vocals for Ariana Grande's hit single 'Love Me Harder' and has writing credits on several tracks for other major artists