Weeknd << WEEK EHND >>, The (1990-…), is a Canadian rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, and music producer. He is known for his high-pitched, soulful singing voice and dark lyrics about sex. The Weeknd has won a number of Grammy and Juno awards for his music. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences awards the Junos to Canadian musicians for artistic and technical achievements. The Weeknd’s songs and albums have topped music charts in the United States and other countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye was born on Feb. 16, 1990, in Toronto, Canada. His parents had immigrated to Canada from Ethiopia. As a teenager, he performed in a hip-hop group. He adopted the stage name The Weeknd after dropping out of high school at the age of 17.
In 2010, a friend of The Weeknd uploaded the songs “Loft Music,” “The Morning,” and “What You Need” to the video-sharing website YouTube. The songs attracted attention online and on social media. In 2011, The Weeknd released three free mixtapes on his website—House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence (in order of release). A mixtape is an informal collection of music, usually by multiple artists. All three mixtapes received praise from critics. Around the same time, The Weeknd sang on the hit album Take Care (2011) by the Canadian rap artist Drake.
In 2013, The Weeknd released his first studio album, Kiss Land, which became a hit. He was featured in the popular song “Love Me Harder” by the American singer Ariana Grande in 2014. The Weeknd’s second studio album, Beauty Behind the Madness (2015), included the hit songs “Can’t Feel My Face,” “Earned It,” and “The Hills.” His third studio album, Starboy, was released in 2016. In 2018, The Weeknd released My Dear Melancholy, an EP (extended play) recording containing six songs. His other studio albums include After Hours (2020) and Dawn FM (2022).
A number of motion-picture soundtracks have included The Weeknd’s music. For example, the movie The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) included his song “Devil May Cry,” Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) included “Earned It,” Black Panther (2018) included “Pray for Me” (with Kendrick Lamar), and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) included “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength).”
In May 2023, The Weeknd began displaying his birth name on his social media accounts and announced plans to begin releasing music under that name.
