February 1st 2025.
Hurry Up Tomorrow marks the end of an era for The Weeknd, as the four-time Grammy winner bids farewell to his stage name and embraces his birth name, Abel Makkonen Tesfaye. Originally set to release on January 24th, the album was pushed back due to the LA wildfires, allowing for more time for the musician to reflect on his decision to move away from his well-known moniker.
This decision to change his stage name is not a rash one, as Tesfaye has been contemplating it since 2022, when a devastating on-stage moment resulted in a mental breakdown. During a performance in September of that year, in front of over 70,000 fans, he suddenly found himself unable to sing. It was a scary and pivotal moment for the Canadian artist.
But now, as Hurry Up Tomorrow tops charts once again, it may be the last time we see The Weeknd under this name. The change in direction for his career is a result of this breakdown, and his new album signifies the end of an era for the musician. Let's take a look back at some of The Weeknd's most memorable moments, from his Starboy era to becoming the most streamed artist in the world.
The Weeknd, born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, first entered the music scene in 2009, posting anonymously on YouTube under a different name. His unique sound and mysterious persona caught the attention of producer Jeremy Rose, propelling him towards stardom. At just 17 years old, Tesfaye chose the stage name The Weeknd, dropping the "e" to avoid copyright issues with a Canadian band. This name helped him collaborate with big names like Drake and Florence and the Machine, and in 2014, he contributed to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack and released "Earned It" for the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack, earning him an Academy Award nomination and multiple Grammy Awards.
But it was his third studio album, Starboy, released in 2016, that truly launched his career. The album's success was marked by hit singles such as "Starboy," "Die For You," and "I Feel It Coming." However, what made this album stand out was the fact that it signaled a new era for The Weeknd, as he cut off his signature dreadlocks, a defining part of his dark aesthetic. In an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, he explained that the vision for his look was no longer there, and the music was getting too sad. Cutting off his hair was a liberating experience, allowing him to perform better and wear hats again.
After the success of Starboy, Tesfaye continued to make waves in the music industry. Collaborating with big names like Lana Del Rey and Kendrick Lamar, he released his fourth studio album, After Hours, in 2020, just before the pandemic hit. The album topped charts and broke streaming records, with his hit single "Blinding Lights" spending a record-breaking 43 weeks in the top five of the Billboard 100 chart. The pandemic also brought more collaborations and accolades for Tesfaye, including headlining the Super Bowl LV Pepsi Halftime Show, making him the first Canadian solo artist to do so.
As we say goodbye to The Weeknd and hello to Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, we can't help but look back at the defining moments of his career. From his humble beginnings on YouTube to becoming a global superstar, his journey has been nothing short of remarkable. And now, with the release of Hurry Up Tomorrow, we can't wait to see what the next chapter holds for this talented musician.
The highly anticipated sixth album from The Weeknd, Hurry Up Tomorrow, has finally dropped and it's causing quite a stir. The four-time Grammy winner has been very vocal about this being the final chapter in The Weeknd's discography, marking the end of an era for the musician. Originally set to release last Friday, the 24th of January, the Starboy singer pushed back the date due to the devastating LA wildfires. But now, he's finally released the album and opened up about the reasons behind his decision to move away from his stage name and perform under his birth name, Abel Makkonen Tesfaye.
This wasn't a spur of the moment decision for the star. He's been contemplating the change since 2022, when he was caught up in a heartbreaking on-stage moment. It was September of that year when he was scheduled to perform in front of over 70,000 people. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until he got on stage and realized that he couldn't sing. His vocals were gone. It was a terrifying experience for the artist.
Since then, The Weeknd has been topping charts once again, but it may be the last time he does so under this stage name. The change in direction for his career was a result of a "mental breakdown" that was triggered by that fateful moment on stage. With the release of his new album, it officially marks the end of an era for the musician. Let's take a look back at some of The Weeknd's most memorable moments, from his Starboy era to becoming the most streamed artist in the world.
When Tesfaye first entered the music scene in 2009, he was posting anonymously on YouTube under a different name. But it wasn't long before his undeniable talent and unique sound caught the attention of music producer Jeremy Rose. By 2011, he was well on his way to stardom. Choosing the stage name The Weeknd at the young age of 17, he later revealed that he liked the name because it sounded "cool" and dropped the "e" to avoid any copyright issues with a Canadian band with a similar name.
The Weeknd's career took off in 2014 when he contributed to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack and collaborated with artists like Ariana Grande. He also released the hit song, "Earned It," for the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. The song earned him an Academy Award nomination and multiple Grammy Awards, solidifying his status as a star. In 2016, he released his third studio album, Starboy, which was supported by eight singles including the record's namesake track, "Die For You," and "I Feel It Coming." But perhaps what made this album so memorable was that it marked a new era for the artist - one without his signature dreadlocks.
In an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, The Weeknd explained the reasons behind his decision to change his look, admitting that the vision just wasn't there anymore. He had been thinking about it for a while, and when he finally cut off his dreadlocks, it was the "greatest feeling of all time." He also joked about finally being able to wear hats again.
Following the success of Starboy, The Weeknd continued to collaborate with big names in the industry and released his fourth studio album, After Hours, in February 2020. Just days before the world went into lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, he performed two singles from the album on Saturday Night Live. This created a huge amount of anticipation for the album, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and became the most streamed R&B album of all time with over two billion streams.
The album's most successful song, "Blinding Lights," broke Billboard 100 chart records, spending 43 consecutive weeks in the top five and 57 weeks in the top 10. The Weeknd also collaborated with several artists, from Calvin Harris to Ariana Grande, and even appeared on Juice Wrld's posthumous album. He won favorite male artist at the American Music Awards and was named one of TIME Magazine's most influential people. But perhaps the biggest moment of his career during the pandemic was when he headlined the Super Bowl LV Pepsi Halftime Show, becoming the first Canadian solo artist to do so.
The pandemic may have been a challenging time for many, but for The Weeknd, it was a defining era in his career. It cemented his status as a global superstar and earned him unprecedented fame. And now, with the release of Hurry Up Tomorrow, the final chapter of The Weeknd's discography, we say goodbye to an iconic era in the music industry. But we can't wait to see what the future holds for Abel Makkonen Tesfaye.
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