# The Weeknd

> Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known as The Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor who transformed R&B from the shadows of a Scarborough upbringing into a global phenomenon. With 75+ million records sold, a billion-dollar touring empire, and the most-streamed song in Spotify history, he is redefining what a career exit looks like — retiring the Weeknd persona after his 2025 album and film 'Hurry Up Tomorrow', the closing chapter of a dark pop trilogy, to begin again as Abel Tesfaye.

- **Role:** Recording Artist & Co-Founder at XO Records
- **Organizations:** XO Records, Republic Records / Universal Music Group, HXOUSE, XO Humanitarian Fund, World Food Programme (Goodwill Ambassador), Lyric Capital Group (catalog partner)
- **From:** Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
- **Nationality:** Canadian
- **Education:** High school (did not complete), West Hill Collegiate Institute, High school (did not complete), Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute
- **Known for:** 75+ million records sold worldwide, 4 Grammy Awards (including Best Urban Contemporary Album twice), 20 Billboard Music Awards

## Career timeline

- **2009** — Began anonymously releasing music on YouTube
- **2010** — Uploaded early tracks under username 'xoxxxoooxo'
- **2011** — Co-founded XO Records; released debut mixtape 'House of Balloons'
- **2011** — Released 'Thursday' and 'Echoes of Silence' mixtapes
- **2012** — Signed with Republic Records; released 'Trilogy' compilation (debuted #4 Billboard 200)
- **2013** — Debut studio album 'Kiss Land' (#2 Billboard 200)
- **2014** — 'Earned It' for Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack — Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song
- **2015** — 'Beauty Behind the Madness' — first #1 album; 'Can't Feel My Face' and 'The Hills' both hit #1
- **2016** — 'Starboy' (feat. Daft Punk) — #1 album and #1 single; Grammy wins
- **2018** — 'My Dear Melancholy,' EP — debuted at #1
- **2020** — 'After Hours' — #1 album; 'Blinding Lights' becomes one of the most successful singles ever
- **2021** — Headlined Super Bowl LV halftime show — first Canadian solo artist to do so, self-funded $7M production
- **2021** — Named WFP Goodwill Ambassador
- **2022** — 'Dawn FM' — #2 album; After Hours 'Til Dawn Stadium Tour begins
- **2023** — HBO series 'The Idol' co-created and starred in (cancelled after one season)
- **2025** — 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' album released Jan 31 — #1 with 490,500 units, biggest male streaming debut of 2025
- **2025** — 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' film released May 16 starring alongside Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan
- **2025** — Awarded the Key to the City of Toronto by Mayor Olivia Chow
- **2025** — 'Blinding Lights' becomes first song to hit 5 billion Spotify streams
- **2025** — After Hours 'Til Dawn tour surpasses $1 billion gross — highest-grossing male solo tour ever
- **2025** — Named Forbes' highest-paid musician of 2025 (~$298M earnings); inked ~$1B catalog deal with Lyric Capital Group
- **2026** — Tour extended with Latin America and Europe legs; HXOUSE partners with Point Park University

## Achievements

- 75+ million records sold worldwide
- 4 Grammy Awards (including Best Urban Contemporary Album twice)
- 20 Billboard Music Awards
- 22 Juno Awards
- First Canadian solo artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show (LV, 2021)
- Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song ('Earned It', 2016)
- 'Blinding Lights' ranked #1 in Billboard Hot 100 all-time chart history
- 'Blinding Lights' — first song to reach 5 billion Spotify streams
- 8 RIAA diamond-certified singles — most by any artist
- After Hours 'Til Dawn tour — highest-grossing male solo tour in history ($1B+)
- Forbes highest-paid musician of 2025 (~$298M)
- ~$1 billion catalog deal with Lyric Capital Group
- Named among TIME 100 Most Influential People (2020)
- Key to the City of Toronto (2025)
- 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' — largest streaming debut by a male artist in 2025 (302M streams week 1)

## Latest updates

- **2026-01** — HXOUSE announces partnership with Point Park University to launch a Creative Direction Credential Program for young artists in Pittsburgh
- **2026-01** — Tour extended with 5 Latin America shows and 13 Europe shows scheduled for 2026
- **2025-11** — After Hours 'Til Dawn tour surpasses $1 billion gross — highest-grossing male solo tour in history
- **2025-11** — Donated $350,000 through XO Humanitarian Fund to WFP for Hurricane Melissa relief in Jamaica
- **2025-10** — Purchased $54.9 million waterfront mansion in Coral Gables, Florida
- **2025-08** — 'Blinding Lights' becomes first song to hit 5 billion Spotify streams
- **2025-07** — Awarded the Key to the City of Toronto by Mayor Olivia Chow
- **2025-05** — 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' film released in theaters starring alongside Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan
- **2025-01** — 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' album debuted at #1 on Billboard 200 with 490,500 units — largest streaming debut by a male artist in 2025

## Links

- Website: https://www.theweeknd.com
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/theweeknd
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0WP5P-ufpRfjbNrmOWwLBQ
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theweeknd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theweeknd/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theweeknd

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/the-weeknd
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-24