The Weeknd
The Weeknd is Abel Tesfaye, the Canadian singer, songwriter and producer behind “Blinding Lights,” Starboy and the After Hours trilogy, whose music also reaches into film and television.
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Latest
Abel’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
XO / Republic
Apple Music
YouTube
Apple Music
YouTube
Apple MusicOverview
- Name
- Abel Tesfaye, born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye
- Born
- February 16, 1990 · Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Work
- Singer, songwriter, record producer and actor
- Breakout
- House of Balloons and the three mixtapes of 2011
- Roots
- Canadian, with Ethiopian family roots
- Community
- World Food Programme Goodwill Ambassador since 2021
Mini bio
How it started.
Abel grew up in Toronto, the son of Ethiopian immigrants. He told Jenna Ortega in V Magazine that he began recording around age 14 or 15. When his early songs started circulating, he kept his face out of view and let listeners find their own way into the music.
The first chapter.
House of Balloons arrived in 2011, followed that year by Thursday and Echoes of Silence. Those three mixtapes became Trilogy in 2012. Kiss Land followed in 2013, before Beauty Behind the Madness and “Can’t Feel My Face” brought him to a wider pop audience in 2015.
Building worlds.
Starboy brought Daft Punk into his musical world in 2016. After Hours, Dawn FM and Hurry Up Tomorrow later formed another trilogy, released in 2020, 2022 and 2025. Alongside the records and videos, he co-created and starred in HBO’s The Idol and co-wrote, starred in and helped score the film Hurry Up Tomorrow.
What comes next.
In his 2026 GQ Hong Kong interview, Abel said the story he had been telling since 2020 had reached its conclusion. He described wanting time to focus on one project and credited the fans at his shows with renewing his inspiration.
Creditschronological, newest first
Music
- 2025Hurry Up TomorrowRecording artist
- 2020After HoursRecording artist
- 2016StarboyRecording artist and producer
- 2015Can’t Feel My FaceSinger
- 2011House of BalloonsRecording artist
Film and television
- 2025Hurry Up TomorrowStar, co-writer and co-composer with Daniel Lopatin
- 2023The IdolCo-creator and star
Awards
- Grammy Award, 2022Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Hurricane,” with Kanye West and Lil Baby.
- Grammy Award, 2018Best Urban Contemporary Album for Starboy.
- Grammy Awards, 2016Best Urban Contemporary Album for Beauty Behind the Madness and Best R&B Performance for “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey).”
- Academy Award nomination, 2016Original Song for “Earned It” from Fifty Shades of Grey, with Ahmad Balshe, Jason Quenneville and Stephan Moccio.
Quotes
Like every trauma in my life, I turned it into art.Abel Tesfaye, GQ Hong Kong
In the September 2026 interview, he explained how losing his voice onstage in 2022 informed his album, film and tour.
Trivia
- Amharic was his first language.
- He told V Magazine that coworkers at American Apparel played his early music without knowing he was the singer.
- He became a World Food Programme Goodwill Ambassador in October 2021.
Find Abel
Follow Abel for music, videos and the next chapter.
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