12 Surprising Facts About The Weeknd

By JC Villamere. 16 Feb 2021 8:01 AM

Toronto’s spooky, electro-pop crooner has had a big year, taking centre stage at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Plus, it’s his birthday on Feb. 16 and to celebrate, we’re whispering these Weeknd secrets into your ear. Pass ’em on. When your ears finish with that, you should set them to the Weeknd. It’s a big time for him, and he “Earned It”, which is also the name of his breakthrough hit, and we wonder how many puns he’s heard about it, and we bet it is a lot.

Universal Music Canada

Getty Images

CP Images

CP Images

'Beauty Behind the Madness' Sold Lightning-Fast

CP Images

Getty

CP Images

His Bandaged Face Is A Statement On Celebrity Culture

Getty Images

CP Images

CP Images

CP Images

His Super Bowl Set List and Special Guests Revealed

CP Images

START OVER

Next Gallery: Star Spotting: Jane Fonda, Angelina Jolie & More Step Out In Style

More Galleries

1 of 12

He Has Highlights
Universal Music Canada
Not in his famously shapeshifting hair, but throughout his decade or so of output. His new album, 'The Highlights', out February 7, is a special project explicitly curated for his upcoming halftime show appearance. Don't call it a greatest hits collection, though. According to a statement, "Given the vast mainstream audience of the Super Bowl, 'The Highlights' album is a way to present some of the Weeknd's most notable works in one place. While this isn't a 'Greatest Hits' album, it does provide a new listener a rich foray into some of the iconic artist's best and favourite work."
The Weekend Was Taken
Getty Images
He left high school before grad and his dropout status inspired his moniker. The man formerly known as Abel Tesfaye was on a never-ending weekend. But he couldn’t use the stage name the Weekend because that was already the name of a pop-rock band in London, Ontario. So he dropped the ‘e’ and went with the Weeknd. Also, Canadian producer Jeremy ‘Zodiac’ Rose claims he came up with the Weeknd. We’re not here to confirm the origin of the name. We’re just here to tell you that the Weekend was taken. So take that at face value.
He Was A Secret
CP Images
Like HRH Bieber, the Weeknd first turned to YouTube to share his songs, beginning in 2010. But after all that flap about choosing a stage name, he posted his work anonymously. So mysterious! The spotlight found him in 2010 when Drake mentioned him on his blog. Oh, 2010, with your blogs and your Angry Birds and your planking. How is it that you were a scant 11 years ago but you feel like a distant galaxy? Anyway, the Weeknd kept uploading material, including the mixtapes 'House of Balloons', 'Thursday', and 'Echoes of Silence'. All the while, he maintained a level of mystique not seen around these parts since the Guess Who dropped their debut.
'Earned It' Never Hit No. 1
CP Images
The Weeknd's breakout track "Earned It" was the lead single from the soundtrack to "Fifty Shades of Grey". It was nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar and won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance. Critics loved it, fans ate it up, and the soundtrack was a hit buoyed by singles like Ellie Goulding's "Love Me Like You Do". But "Earned It" peaked at No. 3 in May 2015.
'Beauty Behind the Madness' Sold Lightning-Fast
CP Images
"Earned It" dropped in December 2014, plus it was on 'Beauty Behind the Madness', which came out in August 2015. August. That's the eighth month of the year. 'Beauty Behind the Madness' was only on sale for four calendar months, and yet, it was still one of the bestselling records of 2015. It's right up there behind Taylor Swift's ‘1989', Adele's '25', and Drake's 'If You're Reading This It's Too Late'. With the No. 1 singles "Can't Feel My Face" and "The Hills", the record won the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album.
The Donald Makes Him Dip
Getty
The Weeknd and Ottawa rapper Belly cancelled a 2016 "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" appearance in May 2016 because Trump was also booked to appear on the show. "I just didn't want to feel like I was a part of a celebration for somebody who has beliefs that the majority of us don't agree with," Belly said in a statement.
His Records Hold Records
CP Images
The nine-time Juno winner is the first artist to simultaneously hold the top three positions on the Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart. "Can't Feel My Face", "Earned It", and "The Hills" stacked the top of the chart on September 8, 2015. When you're stacking the top of the charts, you're instantly in Beatles territory. That's the mark of a superstar act. The Weeknd's records hold records, and the Weeknd's wallet holds money. Less of it, though, since the Super Bowl gig. Bonus secret: The Weeknd has reportedly put up $7 million of his own cash to help realize his Super Bowl performance vision.
His Bandaged Face Is A Statement On Celebrity Culture
Getty Images
Since last March, he's been doing this thing where he appears in public with an apparently bloody, swollen, bandaged face. He performed on "SNL" and appeared at the AMAs and the VMAs in various states of recovery. Then, last month, he released the video for "Save Your Tears," which showed him "post-plastic surgery" with a botched face (built from prosthetics). Finally, on February 3, a reporter from 'Variety' asked him what it symbolizes as he rehearsed for Sunday's performance. He replied, "The significance of the entire head bandages is reflecting on the absurd culture of Hollywood celebrity and people manipulating themselves for superficial reasons to please and be validated." Now, are you ready for some football?
His Masks Made a Million
CP Images
The Weeknd is a philanthropist. For example, he has donated generously to the University of Toronto over the years to support their Ethiopian Studies program. (He's Ethiopian and digs the language and music.) He quietly donated $300,000 to Global Aid in Lebanon and $500,000 to organizations working for racial equality. There's a bunch more but the generous deed we're focused on here is a line of non-medical face masks. They're marked with the 'xo' logo employed by the Weekend and his record label. The masks made a $1-million profit. He donated $500,000 to MusiCares and $500,000 to his hometown front-line hospital staff at the Scarborough Health Network. What a great Weeknd.
His Grammys Are Worthless
CP Images
The Weeknd was widely expected to receive multiple Grammy noms this year for his latest album, 'After Hours'. He has three Grammys already — two for 'Beauty Behind the Madness' and one for 'Starboy' — so you know the Grammys know who he is and how to nominate him. The Weeknd picked up multiple AMAs and VMAs this year for the critically acclaimed hit record, so you know it's award-worthy. So when the Weeknd was totally snubbed by the Academy this year with zero Grammy nominations, he posted on social media, "The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…" There was widespread outrage. Elton John posted, "In my humble opinion… 'Blinding Lights' Song of the Year, Record of the Year #GrammySnub". The Weeknd told Billboard, "Look, I personally don't care anymore. I have three Grammys, which mean nothing to me now, obviously." This is such a bummer secret. Here's the Weeknd in happier Grammy times at the 2016 event with his on-again-off-again girlfriend Bella Hadid.
This Show Won't Have 22 Minutes
CP Images
In a January 28 cover story, 'Billboard' reported that the Weeknd’s Super Bowl performance would be twice as long as a typical halftime show. It would be supersized from the usual 13 minutes to a whopping 22 minutes. Fans freaked out. But later in the day, the venerable music industry publication issued a correction, stating that the Weeknd’s show will actually be the same length as normal. “As in previous years, it will be roughly 12–13 minutes long." This whole show is full of mystery, rumours, and secrets. We wish we could live inside it.
His Super Bowl Set List and Special Guests Revealed
CP Images
We're gazing into our crystal ball to bring you this secret, and we're bolstering it with information from a popular betting website where you can bet not just on the football game's outcome, but also on aspects of the halftime performance. Here are the odds-on favourite tracks to expect: "Blinding Lights", "Save Your Tears", "In Your Eyes", "Starboy"
"Heartless", "Too Late", "Can't Feel My Face", "The Hills", "I Feel It Coming" and "In The Night". As far as special guest performers, the odds-on favourites are Doja Cat, Daft Punk, Ariana Grande, Kenny G, Kendrick Lamar, and Drake. Any combination of those would be amazing. In our dreams, we'd also love to see him feature some up-and-coming Canadian hip-hop players like Haviah Mighty, Killy, Sydanie, Just John x Dom Dias, Kimmortal, Tommy Genesis, or Sean Leon. We want to see them all working for the Weeknd.

12 Surprising Facts About The Weeknd

More Galleries

Latest Galleries