Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known professionally as The Weeknd, was born on February 16, 1990, in Toronto, Ontario. He is the only child of Ethiopian immigrants, Makkonen and Samra Tesfaye, who separated shortly after his birth. Raised in the Scarborough district by his mother and grandmother, his first language was Amharic. At 17, he dropped out of high school and left home, a period of his life that would heavily influence the dark themes of his later music.
Early Career and Mixtapes
In 2010, Tesfaye began anonymously uploading his music to YouTube under the username "xoxxxoooxo". The following year, he released three nine-song mixtapes: "House of Balloons," "Thursday," and "Echoes of Silence." These releases, offered as free downloads, quickly gained critical acclaim and a cult following for their unique blend of R&B, pop, and electronic music, as well as their often dark and explicit lyrics about love, drugs, and alienation. The mystery surrounding his identity, fueled by his initial refusal to do interviews or public performances, further amplified the buzz. His early exposure was significantly boosted when fellow Toronto artist Drake featured his music on his blog.
Rise to Mainstream Success
In 2012, The Weeknd signed with Republic Records and released "Trilogy," a compilation album of his mixtapes with three new tracks. His official debut studio album, "Kiss Land," followed in 2013, debuting at number two on the US Billboard 200. However, it was his second album, "Beauty Behind the Madness" (2015), that launched him into global superstardom. The album featured the number-one singles "Can't Feel My Face" and "The Hills," and earned him two Grammy Awards. He became the first artist to simultaneously hold the top three spots on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart with "Can't Feel My Face," "The Hills," and "Earned It." His 2016 album, "Starboy," continued his success, also winning a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album. The title track, a collaboration with Daft Punk, became a global hit.
"After Hours" and "Dawn FM" Era
The Weeknd's fourth studio album, "After Hours" (2020), marked another critical and commercial peak. It featured the record-breaking single "Blinding Lights," which became the first song to spend a full year in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and was later named the greatest Billboard Hot 100 song of all time. The album broke records on Apple Music with over a million pre-adds. He followed this with the dance-pop-influenced album "Dawn FM" in 2022, which included the hit single "Take My Breath." In 2021, he headlined the Super Bowl LV halftime show.
Accolades and Other Ventures
Throughout his career, The Weeknd has sold over 75 million records and has won numerous awards, including four Grammy Awards, twenty Billboard Music Awards, and twenty-two Juno Awards. In 2020, he was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. Beyond music, Tesfaye has ventured into acting, co-creating and starring in the HBO series "The Idol" (2023).