What is The Weeknd’s real name?
THE Weeknd is known for his high-profile relationships and his catchy tunes.
The superstar singer has been wowing fans since his launch to fame in 2015.
Who is The Weeknd and what is his real name?
Born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye on February 16, 1990, he is known professionally as The Weeknd (pronounced "the weekend").
He is a Canadian singer, songwriter and record producer.
In late 2010, Tesfaye anonymously uploaded several songs to YouTube under the name "The Weeknd".
In 2013, he released his debut studio album Kiss Land, which was supported by the singles Kiss Land and Live For.
How did The Weeknd become famous?
In 2015 he released his second album, Beauty Behind the Madness, which became his first number one album on the US Billboard 200, included the top-three single Earned It and produced the number-one singles The Hills and Can't Feel My Face.
The songs have simultaneously held the top three spots on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, making him the first artist in history to achieve this.
In September 2016 he released single Starboy which subsequently reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100
He then released his third studio album in November 2016, also called Starboy.
The Weeknd was known for having his dreadlocks piled on top of his head and also coming down the back - this was his trademark look.
But when he performed at Victoria’s Secret show in 2019 his famous dreads were gone.
What is The Weeknd's net worth?
As of 2021, The Weeknd has a reported net worth of $100 million (£73 million)
In 2016 to 2017, the star is believed to have grossed $90 million from record sales, touring, merchandise and other business ventures.
While Forbes claims the star's net worth is actually as high as $92 million thanks to the $1.1 million he made per stop on his Starboy: Legend of the Fall world tour and his 5.5 billion streams in the past two years.
More on The Weeknd
What are The Weeknd's biggest hits?
The Weeknd has topped the charts with several hits including:
- Love Me Harder (with Ariana Grande) - 2014
- Earned it - 2015
- Can't Feel My Face - 2015
- Often - 2015
- The Hills - 2015
- Starboy - 2016
- I Feel It Coming - 2016
- Blinding Lights - 2020
- In Your Eyes - 2020