The Weeknd

Early life and musical beginnings

Abel Tesfaye was born in Scarborough, Ontario, the only child of Ethiopian immigrants Makkonen Tesfaye and Samrawit Hailu, who separated shortly after his birth. Raised by his mother and grandmother, he grew up speaking Amharic and became fluent in French through immersion schooling at institutions like West Hill Collegiate Institute and Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute. At age seventeen, he dropped out of school and moved to an apartment in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood with two friends, including his best friend and future creative director La Mar Taylor. They paid their $850 monthly rent using welfare checks, and Tesfaye later earned money by selling cannabis and working at an American Apparel store in downtown Toronto. During this time, he experienced periods of homelessness and was incarcerated on several occasions, which he said encouraged him to focus. He frequently used drugs including ketamine, cocaine, and MDMA, describing them as a crutch for writing music. Before adopting his famous stage name, he performed under the alias Kin Kane as part of a hip hop duo called Bulleez n Nerdz and was in a production team called the Noise. He chose the name The Weeknd after moving out on a weekend, removing the last 'e' to avoid trademark issues with the existing Canadian pop rock band the Weekend.

Breakthrough with the mixtape trilogy and XO

The Weeknd began anonymously releasing music on YouTube in August 2009. In 2010, he met producer Jeremy Rose at a party, and they collaborated on several songs under a dark R&B concept before parting ways due to creative differences. Tesfaye was allowed to use the songs on the condition Rose received production credits. In December 2010, he uploaded tracks like "What You Need," "Loft Music," and "The Morning" to YouTube under the username xoxxxoooxo. These songs gained online attention and were later acknowledged in a blog post by Drake, leading to coverage from media outlets like Pitchfork and The New York Times. In 2011, he met music executives Wassim Slaiby and Amir Esmailian and, along with La Mar Taylor, founded the XO record label. Earlier, in 2009, Tesfaye, Taylor, and friend Hyghly Alleyne had formed a multimedia collective called She's So Lovely via Tumblr. On March 21, 2011, he released his debut mixtape House of Balloons, featuring production from Illangelo and Doc McKinney, and tracks from Jeremy Rose who did not receive credits. The mixtape was shortlisted for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize. He began working with Drake in May, performed at Drake's OVO Fest on July 31, and held his first live performance at The Mod Club in Toronto that same month. His song "High For This" was featured in an ad campaign for the final season of HBO's Entourage. He released his second mixtape, Thursday, on August 18, and contributed to four songs on Drake's album Take Care in November. His third mixtape, Echoes of Silence, arrived on December 21 and was a long listed nominee for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize.

Major label debut and initial commercial success

In 2012, The Weeknd performed at major festivals like Coachella and sold out shows at New York's Bowery Ballroom. He signed with Republic Records in September, with XO becoming a subsidiary label. He began his first concert tour, the Fall Tour, performing headlining shows and opening for Florence and the Machine across North America from September to November. On November 13, he released Trilogy, a compilation of remixed and remastered versions of his 2011 mixtapes with three additional tracks. The album debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200, selling 86,000 copies in its first week, and earned platinum certification from the RIAA and double platinum from Music Canada. His debut studio album, Kiss Land, was announced in May 2013 and released on September 10. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 96,000 copies. He promoted it with a fall tour in North America and England. From late 2013 into 2014, he served as an opening act for both Drake's European Would You Like a Tour and Justin Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience World Tour. He contributed two songs, "Devil May Cry" and "Elastic Heart" with Sia and Diplo, to the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. In 2014, he announced the King of the Fall Tour and released the songs "King of the Fall" and "Often." He collaborated with Ariana Grande on "Love Me Harder," which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. His song "Earned It" for the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack peaked at number three and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, along with Grammy nominations.

Global pop stardom with Beauty Behind the Madness and Starboy

In 2015, The Weeknd released the singles "The Hills" and "Can't Feel My Face," both of which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. "The Hills" was later certified diamond by the RIAA, his first diamond record. He occupied the top three slots on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart simultaneously, a first in history. His second studio album, Beauty Behind the Madness, was released on August 28 and debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 412,000 album equivalent units. It reached number one in Canada, Australia, Norway, and the United Kingdom, was certified double platinum in the US, and became the most streamed album of 2015. The album won the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album and was nominated for Album of the Year. He headlined festivals like Lollapalooza and launched his first large scale US arena tour, The Madness Fall Tour, which ran from November to December. In September 2016, he announced his third album, Starboy, featuring collaborations with Daft Punk on the title track and "I Feel It Coming." "Starboy" became his third number one single and was later certified diamond. The album Starboy debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in November with 348,000 units, earning triple platinum certification and a second Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album. He supported the album with the Starboy: Legend of the Fall Tour throughout 2017, visiting Europe, North America, and Oceania.

The conceptual trilogy and record-breaking tour

The Weeknd began a new album trilogy based on three time points starting with After Hours in 2020. The dream pop and new wave inspired record spawned the chart topping singles "Heartless" and "Save Your Tears," as well as "Blinding Lights." "Blinding Lights" became the best performing song in Billboard Hot 100 history and the most streamed song on Spotify. The trilogy continued with Dawn FM in 2022, featuring the US top ten single "Take My Breath," and concluded with Hurry Up Tomorrow in 2025, which included the single "Timeless." To support these albums, he launched the After Hours til Dawn Tour in 2022. The tour has extended into 2026 with added dates in Latin America and Europe, including four concerts at the Stade de France in Paris with special guest Anitta. As of 2026, the tour has set the record for the highest grossing tour by a male soloist in history, adding $440 million and 3 million tickets from its 2026 shows alone to its already massive total. The tour includes stops at major venues like Hong Kong's Kai Tak Stadium and London's Wembley Stadium through 2026 and 2027.

Other projects, acting, and advocacy

Beyond his music career, The Weeknd has ventured into other media. He released his debut extended play, My Dear Melancholy, in March 2018. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and its lead single "Call Out My Name" peaked at number four. He headlined the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival for the first time in April 2018. From June 2018 to 2022, he hosted the Apple Music 1 radio show Memento Mori. He co created, co wrote, and starred in the HBO drama series The Idol in 2023. He also starred in the 2025 film Hurry Up Tomorrow. His numerous high profile collaborations include features on songs for Beyoncé, Kanye West, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, and Future. He contributed "Pray for Me" with Kendrick Lamar to the Black Panther soundtrack in 2018. In 2021, he was appointed a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme, advocating for food security. He has also been a vocal supporter of racial equality initiatives. His business endeavours are centred on the XO label and brand, which he co founded and continues to lead.

Artistry, influence, and accolades

The Weeknd is known for his light lyric tenor vocal range and frequent use of falsetto. His early work established a dark, atmospheric alternative R&B sound that contrasted with contemporary pop R&B, characterized by themes of hedonism, heartbreak, and alienation. His music evolved to incorporate pop, synth, dream pop, and new wave influences while maintaining a cinematic visual aesthetic in his videos. He is regarded as an influential figure in popular music. His commercial achievements are staggering. He is one of the best selling artists of all time with eight RIAA diamond certified singles. He was the first artist to surpass 100 million monthly listeners on Spotify and was named the highest paid musician in 2025. His awards include 4 Grammy Awards, 20 Billboard Music Awards, 6 American Music Awards, 3 MTV Video Music Awards, a Latin Grammy Award, and a leading 22 Juno Awards. Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people in 2020. His record breaking tour and sustained chart dominance underscore his status as a defining pop culture icon whose journey from Scarborough to global fame remains a significant story in Canadian music history.

Questions about The Weeknd

Where is The Weeknd from in Canada?

Abel Tesfaye, known as The Weeknd, was born in a city in Ontario, variously reported to be Toronto or Scarborough. He was raised in the suburb of Scarborough by his mother and grandmother. He grew up speaking Amharic and is also fluent in French from attending a French immersion school. He was further educated at West Hill Collegiate Institute and Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute before dropping out at age seventeen.

What is The Weeknd's real name?

His real name is Abel Tesfaye. He was born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, but legally removed his middle name in 2024. He adopted the stage name The Weeknd when he began releasing music, choosing it because he moved out of his family home on a weekend. He altered the spelling by removing the last 'e' to avoid trademark issues with an existing Canadian band called The Weekend.

What is The Weeknd's biggest song?

Statistically, his biggest song is "Blinding Lights" from the 2020 album After Hours. It holds the record as the best performing song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It is also the most streamed song on Spotify. Other major hits include the diamond certified singles "The Hills," "Starboy," and "Die for You," all of which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

How many Juno Awards has The Weeknd won?

The Weeknd has won 22 Juno Awards. This is part of his extensive collection of accolades, which also includes 4 Grammy Awards and 20 Billboard Music Awards. These awards highlight his significant impact on the music industry. His success is recognized both internationally and within Canada.

What was the name of The Weeknd's first concert tour?

The Weeknd's first concert tour was called the Fall Tour in 2012. This tour occurred in North America from September to November. It included his own headlining shows as well as opening performances for the band Florence and the Machine. This tour followed his signing with Republic Records.

Which HBO series did The Weeknd co create and star in?

The Weeknd co created and starred in the HBO drama series The Idol, which premiered in 2023. This venture into television expanded his artistic repertoire beyond music. It demonstrated his involvement in cinematic storytelling and production. His work on the series contributed to his varied career in entertainment.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-18.