BIOGRAPHY
Abel Tesfaye, the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, producer, and actor born in 1990 to Ethiopian immigrant parents; Amharic was his first language. He emerged in late 2010 with atmospheric songs posted to YouTube, gaining momentum after Drake championed his work, which led to the 2011 mixtape House of Balloons and a Polaris Music Prize shortlisting. His early output helped define alternative R&B by folding in electronic and indie textures, while later albums like Beauty Behind the Madness, Starboy, After Hours, Dawn FM, and Hurry Up Tomorrow pushed toward cinematic electropop. He has won four Grammy Awards, headlined the 2021 Super Bowl halftime show, and was ranked among Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers of All Time in 2023.