The Weeknd

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Lore & Background

Tesfaye began his journey by dropping out of school at seventeen and moving to Parkdale with friends, including La Mar Taylor. He adopted the name 'the Weeknd' after leaving home on a weekend, removing the final 'e' to avoid trademark issues with a local band. During this time, he experienced homelessness and incarceration while engaging in drug use, which he later described as a 'crutch' for writing music. In 2010, he met producer Jeremy Rose, creating dark R&B tracks before uploading them anonymously to YouTube under the username 'xoxxxoooxo'. These early songs, including 'What You Need', gained traction after being acknowledged by Drake. By March 2011, Tesfaye co-founded the XO record label with Slaiby and Esmailian, releasing his first mixtape, House of Balloons, which featured production from Illangelo and Doc McKinney.

In Their Own Story

In December 2010, Tesfaye uploaded 'What You Need', 'Loft Music', and 'The Morning' to YouTube, marking the start of a career that would redefine R&B. These tracks caught the attention of Drake, leading to a collaboration on Drake's album Take Care later that year. On November 15, 2011, Tesfaye contributed as a songwriter, producer, and featured artist on 'Crew Love', his first major credited work with another star. Following the release of his third mixtape, Echoes of Silence, he signed with Republic Records in September 2012 to compile his work into Trilogy. The album debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 with 86,000 copies sold in its first week. He continued to build momentum by opening for Florence and the Machine and performing at festivals like Coachella and Primavera Sound before releasing his debut studio album, Kiss Land, in September 2013.

Reader's Guide

To understand The Weeknd's impact, one must trace his evolution from anonymous mixtapes to global superstardom. His 2015 album Beauty Behind the Madness blended alternative R&B with pop, featuring number-one singles like 'Can't Feel My Face' and 'The Hills'. This was followed by Starboy in 2016, which also topped the Billboard 200 and included hits such as 'Starboy' and 'Die for You'. His 2020 album After Hours spawned 'Blinding Lights', the best-performing song in Billboard Hot 100 history. The subsequent Dawn FM (2022) and Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025) completed an album trilogy centered on three time points. Beyond music, Tesfaye co-created and starred in the HBO series The Idol (2023) and the film Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025). He also hosted the Apple Music 1 radio show Memento Mori from 2018 to 2022.

Did You Know?

• Tesfaye legally removed his middle name 'Makkonen' in 2024.
• His stage name was derived from leaving home on a weekend, with the final 'e' dropped to avoid trademark conflicts.
• He released three mixtapes anonymously in 2011 before compiling them into Trilogy in 2012.
• The song 'Blinding Lights' is the most-streamed song on Spotify and the best-performing song in Billboard Hot 100 history.
• Tesfaye's After Hours til Dawn Tour (2022–2026) set the record for the highest-grossing tour by a male soloist.