The Weeknd: From Anonymous Mixtapes to the Super Bowl
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, born February 16, 1990, in Toronto, Canada, is known professionally as The Weeknd. The son of Ethiopian immigrants, he began releasing music anonymously in 2009 and went on to become one of the most influential figures in popular music — famous for a light-lyric tenor voice, an alternative R&B sound, dark aesthetics, and cinematic music videos. His early musical influences ranged from traditional Ethiopian music to Michael Jackson, and he has cited Jackson's "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" as the song that helped him find his voice.
The Anonymous Mixtape Trilogy
After co-founding the record label XO, Tesfaye released three mixtapes in 2011: House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. The mysterious rollout — no face, no interviews, just music — built enormous word-of-mouth buzz. He signed with Republic Records and compiled the mixtapes into the album Trilogy (2012), before releasing his debut studio album, Kiss Land (2013).
The Pop Breakthrough
Tesfaye blended alternative R&B with pop on his second and third studio albums, Beauty Behind the Madness (2015) and Starboy (2016). Both debuted atop the US Billboard 200 and featured Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: "Can't Feel My Face" and "The Hills" from the former, and "Starboy" and "Die for You" from the latter. His debut EP, My Dear Melancholy, followed in 2018, featuring the US top-ten single "Call Out My Name." He also found success with "Earned It," the first single released from the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack, which earned him an Academy Award nomination.
After Hours and the Super Bowl
His 2020 album After Hours spawned the chart-topping singles "Heartless" and "Save Your Tears," as well as "Blinding Lights" — the best-performing song in the Billboard Hot 100's history and the most-streamed song on Spotify. In February 2021, he headlined the Super Bowl LV halftime show at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, performing a career-spanning set including "Starboy," "The Hills," "Can't Feel My Face," "Earned It," and "Blinding Lights." He reportedly spent $7 million of his own money on the halftime production, on top of the league's production costs.
Legacy
The Weeknd completed an album trilogy with Dawn FM (2022) and Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025). His accolades include four Grammy Awards, 20 Billboard Music Awards, 22 Juno Awards, and six American Music Awards — a career built from mystery, mood, and an unmistakable voice.
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