The Weeknd is a Canadian singer and songwriter. He’s an award winning music artist who’s widely recognized for his unique productions, musical reinventions, and distinctive falsetto register.
He gained mainstream success with the release of Kiss Land (2013), his debut studio album. His popularity’s boosted further as he released Grammy-winning Earned It (2015) as a soundtrack of Fifty Shades of Grey (2015).
Contents
- 1 Career
- 2 Profile
- 3 Height, Weight, & Physical Appearance
- 4 Family
- 5 Girlfriend & Dating History
- 6 Net Worth
- 7 Controversies
- 8 Facts
- 9 Movies
- 10 TV Series
- 11 TV Shows
- 12 FAQs
- 12.1 Who is The Weeknd?
- 12.2 Who is The Weeknd’s real name?
- 12.3 What makes The Weeknd famous?
- 12.4 Where is The Weeknd from?
- 12.5 How old is The Weeknd?
- 12.6 When The Weeknd celebrates his birthday?
- 12.7 How tall is The Weeknd?
- 12.8 Who are The Weeknd’s parents?
- 12.9 Is The Weeknd married?
- 12.10 Who is The Weeknd’s ex-girlfriend?
- 12.11 How rich is The Weeknd?
- 12.12 What is The Weeknd nationality?
Career
The milestone of The Weeknd as a singer was when he released a compilation album with Republic Records titled Trilogy in 2012.
It ranked #4 on the Billboard 200 and was sold more than 85,000 copies within the first week of release.
Moreover, it got platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album led him to win R&B/Soul Recording of the Year from the Juno Awards.
He eventually released his initial studio album named Kiss Land in 2013. One of the singles, Live For, featured Canadian rapper Drake.
In that year, The Weeknd also appeared in Justin Timberlake’s world tour. Moreover, he contributed to the soundtrack of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire called Devil May Cry.
His second album titled Beauty Behind the Madness was launched in 2015 and brought him to win the Centric Award from the BET Awards.
Guinness World Records also noted his album as Most Streamed Album on Spotify in One Year for 60 million unique listeners.
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Profile
- Full name: Abel Makkonen Tesfaye
- Stage name: The Weeknd
- Nickname: Noise, Kin Kane
- Born: February 16, 1990
- Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Zodiac sign: Aquarius
- Nationality: Canadian
- Religion: Ethiopian Orthodox
- Profession: Singer, Songwriter
- Education: Samuel Hearne Middle School
- Hobbies: Fishing and playing video game.
- Facebook: @theweeknd
- Twitter: @theweeknd
- Instagram: @theweeknd
- TikTok: @theweeknd
- YouTube: The Weeknd Official
Height, Weight, & Physical Appearance
- Height: 173 cm (5’8″)
- Weight: 81 Kg (179 lbs)
- Blood Type: –
- Hair Color: Black
- Eye Color: Dark brown
- Body Measurements: 42-35-13 (Bust -42, Waist -35, and Arms -13 inches)
- Shoe Size: 9 (US)
Family
- Father: Makkonen Tesfaye
- Mother: Samra Tesfaye
- Brother: –
- Sister: –
Girlfriend & Dating History
Bella Hadid
The Weeknd started dating Bella Hadid in 2015. According to media reports, they began their romance in May and it lasted for a few months.
The pair worked together as she starred in his In the Night music video in December that year.
Unfortunately, they parted ways in November 2016 due to their tight schedules respectively. However, a source told the media that they “will remain friends.”
In May 2018, they were seen together at Cannes Festival. Since then, the couple reportedly went on an on-and-off relationship until at least mid-2020.
Selena Gomez
During one of his “off” periods of relationship with Bella Hadid, The Weeknd got close to Selena Gomez. Media reported their closeness in 2017.
Unfortunately, they ended the relationship in October that year for undisclosed reasons.
Simi Khadra
The Weeknd and Simi Khadra were linked romantically together for the first time in early 2022. In February 2022, they were seen sharing kisses in Las Vegas.
The pair kept their romance quite private. However, it appeared that their relationship’s still going on strong as she showed up at The Idol premiere event at Cannes, in which The Weeknd served as one of the stars, writers, and producers.
Net Worth
The Weeknd’s estimated to have accumulated a staggering amount of net worth at $300 million to $310 million.
He’s named as amongst the highest-paid entertainers around the world. His estimated annual earnings in around $90 million (prior to taxes).
Music
He has cemented his place as one of the best-selling music artists in the world, having sold more than 75 million records.
Real Estate
In June 2017, he purchased an estate located in Hidden Hills, California for $18 million. The property was listed on the market for $25 million, but eventually sold for $20 million to Madonna in April 2021.
He purchased a Beverly Hills Country Club-facing penthouse in LA for $21 million in December 2019.
Media reported that he purchased a mansion located in Bel Air, LA, for $70 million in August 2021.
Controversies
Receiving Backlash for Controversial Series The Idol
Rolling Stone released reports that detailed alleged behind-the-scenes issues and drama of The Idol (2023) prior to its release, mainly of misogyny accusations.
The Weeknd, who took the lead role in the show as well as served as its co-creator, writer, and producer along with Sam Levinson, was accused of promoting toxic masculinity.
According to Rolling Stone’s claims, the root cause of the issues was the departure of Amy Seimetz, the former director, due to creative differences.
He responded to the report via Twitter, calling out Rolling Stone’s official account and writing “Did we upset you?”
Facts
- His trademarks are his hair and pitched voice.
- His biggest musical influences are Michael Jackson, R. Kelly, and Prince.
- The Weeknd frequently used drugs, like MDMA, cocaine, and cough syrup, to get over writer’s block.
- He is a high school dropout from Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute.
- In 2013, he partnered with a condom product Kiss Land and gave away the product on his Fall tour.
- He was endorsed by a vaporizer company named PAX Labs.
- This Starboy singer donated 50,000 USD to the University of Toronto.
- In 2015, he was arrested due to punching a police officer in Las Vegas.
- Abel dated Bella Hadid in 2016, but then the couple split. They dated again from 2018 to 2019.
- He was included in Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 – Music list in 2016.
- Puma chose him as its Global Brand Ambassador in 2016.
- In 2017, he dated famous singer Selena Gomez for 10 months.
- He partnered with Marvel in 2017 and attended its event, New York Comic-Con.
- In 2019, he purchased ownership in OverActive Media Group, an esports company.
- He was sued by a trio from the UK for plagiarizing their song to produce his song named A Lonely Night.
- Forbes magazine placed him in its Celebrity 100 list in 2019.
- Abel collaborated with TD Bank to release Black Hxouse, a Toronto-based think-center.
- During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, he raised money for MusiCares Coronavirus.
- In the same year, he also raised more than 350,000 USD for the Equal Justice Initiative.
- His ideal type is…
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Movies
- Live at SoFi Stadium (2023), as himself
- The Show (2021), as himself
- After Hours (2020), as himself
- Uncut Gems (2019), as himself
- Mania (2016), as himself
- Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall (2016), as himself
- Taylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour Live (2015), as himself
- Road to Release (2013), as himself
TV Series
- The Idol (HBO ⏐ 2023), as Tedros
- The Simpsons (FOX ⏐ 2022), as Orion Hughes, Darius Hughes (voices)
- Robot Chicken (Adult Swim ⏐ 2020), as Various voices
- American Dad! (TBS ⏐ 2020), as himself (voice)
TV Shows
- The Dawn FM Experience (Amazon Prime Video ⏐ 2022), as himself
- Super Bowl LV Halftime Show (NBC ⏐ 2021), as himself
- Saturday Night Live (NBC ⏐ 2015–2016; 2020), as himself (musical guest)
Quotes
“The last thing you want is to not be recognized for all of the hard work you put in.”
“Nothing is stopping me from doing what I love to do.”
“I’m the most boring person to talk to.”
“My purpose is to make exciting music, and I feel like I’ll be doing that for the rest of my life, so there’s no pressure.”
“‘Kiss Land’ is like a horror movie.”
“The Joker is my favorite villain of all time: You don’t know his past; you just know what his plans are.”
“I’m a huge fan of R. Kelly’s. He’s a musical genius and probably the most prolific artist of the generation before mine.”
“Literally wrote ‘Starboy’ in 30 minutes.”
“I was very camera shy. People like hot girls, so I put my music to hot girls and it just became a trend. The whole ‘enigmatic artist’ thing, I just ran with it. No one could find pictures of me.”
“I want to be remembered as iconic and different.”
“Even though I’ve been putting out bodies of work for years, ‘Beauty Behind the Madness’ felt like the beginning.”
“I’m all about evolution. I’m the first person to judge myself.”
“I’m trying to get to Mars before everyone else.”
“The mind of a 19-year-old is very different from the mind of a 26-year-old. You grow. You get into better relationships. You experience more, meet more people, better people. But when you’re in a dark hole at an earlier point in your life – you write about the mindset you’re in at that moment.”
“Marriage is scary to me, man.”
Pics of The Weeknd
1. The Weeknd wears a monochrome outfit
2. His side profile is charming
3. The red suit contrasts with the leaves’ background
4. A selfie from The Weeknd!
5. The army outer looks good with the black T-shirt
FAQs
Who is The Weeknd?
He is a Canadian singer and songwriter.
Who is The Weeknd’s real name?
His real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye.
What makes The Weeknd famous?
He got famous with the release of Kiss Land (2013), his debut studio album. His popularity’s boosted further as he released Grammy-winning Earned It (2015) as a soundtrack of Fifty Shades of Grey (2015).
Where is The Weeknd from?
He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
How old is The Weeknd?
He was born in 1990, and he is 33 years old as of 2023.
When The Weeknd celebrates his birthday?
He celebrates on the 16th of every February.
How tall is The Weeknd?
His height is 5’8″ or 173 cm.
Who are The Weeknd’s parents?
His father’s name is Makkonen Tesfaye and his mother’s name is Samra Tesfaye.
Is The Weeknd married?
No, he is currently unmarried. But he is in a relationship with Simi Khadra.
Who is The Weeknd’s ex-girlfriend?
His ex-girlfriends are Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez.
How rich is The Weeknd?
His net worth is around $300 million to $310 million.
What is The Weeknd nationality?
His nationality is Canadian.
The Weeknd has shown his excellence in music by producing outstanding songs, collaborating with other talented artists, and winning prestigious awards.