Biography
The Weeknd without exaggerations can be called the star of the modern era, because he knows exactly how to draw attention to his work. His songs become hits, performances - the events discussed, and the release of the new album turns into a whole show, thought out to the smallest detail. All this brought artist's love and respect for listeners who are followed by the news of his biography.Childhood and youth
Eibel McConen Telfaye was born on February 16, 1990 in Canadian Toronto in a pair of emigrants from Ethiopia. The Father of the artist soon left the family, and the mother was forced to work immediately in several works to feed himself and a little son. Therefore, the upbatch of the future star was engaged in her grandmother, who trained the boy Akhmmar language and instilled a love for Ethiopian culture. This affected both the image and the work of the artist.
The lack of parental attention has negatively affected the character of Eibela, which rose a difficult teenager. He tried early to marijuana, whose change of heavier drugs came to the shift. Later, the young man began to steal and walk school, and then threw away at all to devote himself to creativity. Fate turned out to be favorably for Tesfaye, so his dream eventually became a reality. But for this I had to overcome many difficulties.
Music
At 17, Eibel left the house, settling together with friends. During this period, he worked in a clothing store, and all his free time devoted to music. In 2009, the artist loaded the DO IT debut track to Youtyub, using his name as a pseudonym. Later, he met the producer of Jeremy Rose, who offered cooperation.The result of joint creativity was 3 tracks published on the network under the name XoxxxoOoxo. It was not lying, so the artist thought about changing the pseudonym. At first he wanted to call his website The Weekend, which was for the Eibela symbolic, because he left home at the weekend. But since the group with such a title already existed, it was decided to remove one letter, after which the word The Weeknd was obtained.
Debut singles of the artist quickly attracted the attention of the Internet community, but their further promotion contributed to the attention of Rapper Drake. During this period, Tudfay continued to work in the store, but later acquired acquaintances in the music industry and became the co-founder of the XO RECORDS label. HOUSE OF BALLOONS was released on it.
The release was warmly met with the public, and soon the singer became a person under discussion. He continued to cooperate with Drake, not only speaking in his heating, but also participating in the record of his tracks. The Weeknd contributed to the creation of the Take Care album as a songwriter and performer.
In the same 2011, the artist demonstrated enviable productivity, having pleased the listeners with two more mixers - Thursday and Echoes of Silence. Later, the singer recalled in an interview that at that time worked without stopping. His tracks were both the results of the implementation of a precisely thoughtful idea and the product of improvisation. Sometimes Eibel became the microphone and worked, alternating singing with a vague muttering. An example of this method is Gone - this is a freestyle recorded by one double and last 8 minutes.
In the fall of next year, The Weeknd signed a contract with Republic Records, in collaboration with the TRILOGY collection. He kept the materials of mixtapes and 3 new songs and quickly won the love of listeners, which inspired the star to take up the creation of a debut album.
The Kiss Land presentation took place in September 2013, but much more attention was attracted by the output of the song Devil May Cry, which became the soundtrack for the film "Hungry Games: and flame will flash." After that, not only musicians, but also filmmakers, wanted to work with Eibel. Soon his track Earned It sounded in the picture "50 shades of gray."
Shortly before that, The Weeknd introduced Love Me Harder - the result of cooperation with the then ascending star Ariana Grande. The track added popularity to both, but did not become the main hit for the singer. Already soon on all radio stations and music venues, they called The Hills, with which the name and style of Eibel were associated for a long time. He allowed the singer to declare himself not only in English-speaking countries, but all over the world.
No less listened song CAN't Feel My Face. She headed Billboard Hot 100 by entering the top 3 at the same time from The Hills and Earned It, which became a new achievement in the history of music. Since then, Telfay has become considered not just a talented musician, but and hitmaker, for whose creativity should be observed.
All 3 singles entered the Beauty Behind The Madness album track list, which took the top of the music charts in several countries of the world. Other songs from the plate, especially Often and Prisoner, recorded in collaboration with Lana Del Rey Rey, turned out to be the same successful.
The Weeknd did not delay the next release, presented Starboy in the fall, in the fall of 2015. The attention of the audience was awarded the same single, in which the French duet Daft Punk participated.
In the future, Tesfaye continued to delight fans with new tracks recorded both solo and with the participation of other artists. He released My Dear Melancholy mini-album, the decoration of which was the composition Call Out My Name, and shared the result of cooperation with DJAFFFELSTEIN DJ - hit Lost in the Fire.
But all this time, The Weeknd remained under pressure, because the listeners expected something truly unusual from him. The artist did not let them down, releasing the After Hours plate. The release fell at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, and later the performer admitted that the producers convinced him to pull him with the presentation. Eibel did not listen to them, because she did not want to bring devotees of fans, and they paid him in full. The album, against the release of which was absolutely everything, headed the musical charts around the world and became more successful than all the previous ones.
To a large extent, the sale of preceding singles ensured. It all started with Blinding Lights, whose popularity instantly took off to heaven and eclipsed even the legendary The Hills and Starboy. For him, Eibel received several awards of the American Music Prize at once. Fighting glory helped the release of In Your Eyes and Save Your Tears. The last later was complemented by Ariana Grande vocal.
It seemed that such a good album was not to be without the attention of the jury and other music premiums, but the fans were disappointed when they found out that the performer did not receive a single nomination for Grammy. All this provoked the scandal, which was the result of a change in the policies of the vote at the competition.
Appearance
The Weeknd won recognition not only thanks to vocals, but also at the expense of public image. According to the artist, he planned to leave his identity in secret. Eibel was in no hurry to upload photos to the network and avoided the interview, considering himself too boring. But such a mysteriousness only rooted interest in his person, which made it possible to increase the number of admirers.
Later, the singer was still going to light, but he appeared before the public with a hairstyle, representing the dreadlocks collected on the top of the top and on the back of the head. Network users immediately began to argue, to which she looks more like - on the palm tree or on Pineapple, which again attracted attention to the star.
According to The Weeknd, he was not going to change the image throughout the career, because it emphasized the individuality, but unexpectedly his hairstyle began to copy everything around, and it made it forced to revise views. Soon the artist crashed, and then at all appeared in public with the mustache, because of what he began to compare with Mexican mafiosi.
But the most notable changes in the appearance of the artist occurred in the Era of After Hours. He turned the output of the album in the show with the participation of one actor, but at the same time talented played his role, adhering to the storyline from the clip to the clip. Eibel did not leave the image even during public appearances, invariably giving preference to a bright red costume.
If in the video to the blonding lights the star character was with bruises, then he came out with bruises. Later, the musician continued this line by appearing at the presentation of American Music Awards with a bandaged head. Therefore, fans did not even have time to be frightened when the singer posted in an instagram account photo with a make-up, imitating the consequences of the plastic surgery on the face. In this form, he appeared in the clip to the Save Your Tears track, which has become a point in this story.
Such transfigurations were not a capricious artist, but a way to dialogue with the public. With this, The Weeknd publicly expressed disapproval by musicians who resort to manipulations with appearance in an attempt to attract attention.
Business and charity
Since the singer has become popular, many companies and brands wished to cooperate with him. In 2015, he concluded a contract with Pax Labs and participated in the design of electronic cigarettes. They were used on the show during the Tour of The Madness Fall Tour.The following year, Eibel and his company XO announced joint work with PUMA, releaseing 3 capsule collections. Later also experienced things developed with A Bathing Ape and H & M. With the last brand Artist Romorg Contract due to conflict.
The money taken from business projects, the singer spends not only for personal needs, but for charity. He does not forget about the roots, helping the inhabitants of Ethiopia, cooperates with medical centers and sacrifices to educational needs.
During the Pandemic of Coronavirus The Weeknd did not remain aside, listed about $ 1 million to the fight against the disease. In the same 2020, the Contractor allocated funds to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
Personal life
In the past, Eibel met with the model Bella Hadid. The girl starred in the clip on the composition in The Night, after which the lovers have repeatedly appeared in public together. But the novel did not last long, the stars broke up. Later they tried to resume relationships, but the attempt was not crowned with success.
In the interruptions between unsuccessful novels with Hadid The Weeknd met with the popular singer Selenaya Gomez. Fans hardly managed to rejoice in a couple, as followed by a break. The reason was called a tight schedule of performers.
Although the happiness in the personal life did not succeed, the relationship with Bella and Selena had a positive effect on the work of the artist. Fans still guess whether Save Your Tears track was dedicated to Gomez, because the girl starred in the clip, very similar to her.
In 2021, the network stirred unexpected news: Eibel suspected in the novel with Angelina Jolie. At first they were caught by a joint dinner, and then they visited a closed event accompanied by children actresses. Stars did not rush to comments on this.
THE WEEKND now
Now Eibel remains discussed person. In February 2021, he made a supercube break, performing Popourri from the best hits that demonstrate the evolution of his work. So that the show came out as he conceived, the singer even invested his own $ 7 million in him. Although the critics perceived the performance ambiguously, the fans called it proof that the singer does not need "Grammy", but the leadership of the award needs him.Shortly thereafter, The Weeknd announced the exit of the next album, thereby declaring the beginning of the new era of creativity. He also participated in the preparation of Planet Her's release of the DOJA CAT singers, which was recorded by the track You Right.
In the spring of the same year, the performer again won critics. This time his work was celebrated by Billboard Music Awards. Eibel was nominated in 16 categories and became the winner of 10 of them.
Discography
- 2013 - Kiss
- 2015 - Beauty Behind The Madness
- 2016 - Starboy.
- 2020 - After Hours