The Weeknd
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Biography
The Weeknd is a Grammy-winning Canadian artist known for redefining R&B with dark aesthetics, genre fusion, and record-breaking global success.
Born Abel Tesfaye in 1990, he began anonymously releasing music in 2009. His 2011 mixtapes House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence gained cult status for their moody, alternative R&B sound. These works were later reissued as Trilogy (2012) after he signed with Republic Records.
Tesfaye rose to global fame with Beauty Behind the Madness (2015) and Starboy (2016), earning multiple No. 1 hits like “Can’t Feel My Face” and “Starboy.” His acclaimed album After Hours (2020) featured the chart-dominating single “Blinding Lights,” now the most-streamed song in Spotify history.
He continued evolving sonically with Dawn FM (2022) and his sixth studio album Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025), which included the hit “Timeless.” Known for blurring genre lines, The Weeknd has sold over 75 million records and holds seven diamond-certified singles.
Outside music, he’s a vocal humanitarian and World Food Programme ambassador, donating millions to global causes. Time and Guinness World Records have both recognized him as one of the world’s most influential and popular artists.