The Weeknd loves intrigue. He built his persona on being mysterious back in 2011. He’s continued to play with his image in shows like The Idol, and his various musical personas. The singer’s newest album looks to provide fans with more of the same. The Weeknd dropped a three-minute video on August 5, which is packed with nightmarish visuals and cryptic messages. We already know the Canadian superstar has a new album on the way, but the trailer fleshes out the upcoming concept, while at the same time giving the world a taste of new music.
Right away, the teaser feels unsettling. A little boy stands in front of a house while a storm forms above him. The boy eventually makes his way into the house. Once inside, though, things don’t get any less tense. The Weeknd’s presumed younger self can be seen walking through the house, which appears to be abandoned. Clothes are strewn about on the floor, and an ominous mood lingers, as though whoever lived there experienced something tragic. A surreal transition takes the boy to a church, where he looks into a mirror. A hooded woman who appeared earlier in the video cradles him, in a surprising instance of solace. All the while, an unreleased song by The Weeknd provides the soundtrack.
The Weeknd posted the video on Instagram and Twitter with the caption: “unprepared certainty.” There’s definitely a dark connotation to the phrase, however it will apply to the album. The teaser makes it seem as though the singer is going to dig into his psyche more than ever, which tracks given the narrative role it’s supposed to play within his so-called trilogy. The upcoming album is said to be the third chapter in a trilogy that started with After Hours and continued with Dawn FM. Abel Tesfaye alluded to this structure way back in 2022. “I wonder,” he wrote on Twitter. “Did you know you’re experiencing a new trilogy?”
The Weeknd expanded on the concept of the trilogy during a 2023 interview with W Magazine. He not only said that he would be completing the story of his last three albums, but the “Weeknd” persona as fans know it. “The album I’m working on now is probably my last hurrah as The Weeknd,” he revealed. “This is something that I have to do. As The Weeknd, I’ve said everything I can say.” We can only hope Tesfaye continues to make music under a different name. That said, we’re excited for the grand finale.
Traditionally, music interviews are between a journalist and an artist. The medium can sometimes break free of that format, though. Sometimes, artists interview each other. Then there’s the latest one from The Weeknd. In it, he interviews himself, except it’s himself at 10 years old, except it’s himself at 10 years old as portrayed via AI.
This was arranged by SSENSE, who used ChatGPT to create a “realistic” chatbot version of young Abel Tesfaye, with which present-day Tesfaye had an era-spanning conversation.
The chat starts with talk about TV shows. The Weeknd notes he’s been watching King Of The Hill and AI Tesfaye responds, “King of the Hill sounds like a big adventure! I imagine sitting on a hill being the king of everything I see!” It then asks real The Weeknd if they can make a cartoon of their own together someday.
From there, the two talk about God, imagination, their mother, and more. Depending on your views on AI, the whole thing is either sweet or perhaps a little bit unsettling and strange. At the very least, it’s an interesting exercise in creative use of technology, more of a creative writing endeavor than a journalistic interview.
Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer The Weeknd has overtaken the world. His unique blend of R&B, pop, and electronic music has helped catapult him Into megastardom. Born Abel Tesfaye in Toronto, he gained fame in the early 2010s and quickly became one of the most successful artists of the decade. Let’s explore the factors that have contributed to his incredible wealth.
As of 2024, The Weeknd’s net worth is estimated to be around $300 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
The Meteoric Rise
HOLLYWOOD, CA – JUNE 25: Musician The Weeknd arrives at the premiere of A24 Films “Amy” at ArcLight Cinemas on June 25, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
The Weeknd’s journey to fame began in 2010 when he uploaded a few songs to YouTube. These tracks quickly gained traction. Soon, he released a series of mixtapes combined into the compilation album, Trilogy. The album was a massive success, receiving critical acclaim and propelling him into the limelight.
Since then, The Weeknd has released multiple chart-topping albums. These include Kiss Land, Beauty Behind the Madness, Starboy, My Dear Melancholy, and After Hours. These projects featured a string of hit singles, including “Can’t Feel My Face,” “The Hills,” “Starboy,” “I Feel It Coming,” “Call Out My Name,” and “Blinding Lights.”
The Weeknd’s music has earned him numerous awards and accolades. He’s received three Grammy Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, and two American Music Awards. His international success has also led to lucrative touring opportunities. His live performances generating millions of dollars in ticket sales.
Expanding His Empire: Business Ventures
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 27: In this image released on December 7, The Weeknd performs during his “After Hours Til Dawn” tour at SoFi Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Live Nation)
In addition to his music career, The Weeknd has ventured into various business opportunities that have contributed to his net worth. He has collaborated with high-profile fashion brands, including Puma, H&M, and BAPE, to release exclusive clothing lines and merchandise.
Moreover, The Weeknd has invested in several startups and companies, such as the esports organization OverActive Media and the music technology platform Moment House. These investments demonstrate his keen business acumen and desire to diversify his income sources.
The Power of Collaborations: Weeknd Net Worth Boosters
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 15: The Weeknd poses in the press room at the The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
The Weeknd has collaborated with numerous top-tier artists, producers, and brands throughout his career. These collaborations have helped expand his audience and further solidify his status as a global music icon. His most notable collaborations include tracks with Daft Punk, Lana Del Rey, Ariana Grande, and Kendrick Lamar. Furthermore, The Weeknd has also ventured into film and television. He appeared in the Adam Sandler movie Uncut Gems and co-wrote an episode of the hit animated series American Dad.
The Weeknd’s Philanthropy: Giving Back to the Community
LAS VEGAS, NV – SEPTEMBER 21: The Weeknd performs during the 2018 Life is Beautiful Festival on September 21, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
While The Weeknd has amassed a considerable fortune, he is also known for his philanthropic efforts. He has donated millions to various charitable organizations, including the University of Toronto, the Black Lives Matter movement, and COVID-19 relief efforts. His generosity highlights the importance of giving back to the community and using his wealth to make a difference.
Conclusion/TLDR
The Weeknd’s net worth of $300 million in 2024 is a testament to his hard work, perseverance, and undeniable talent. His rise to fame, lucrative business ventures, and high-profile collaborations contributed to his impressive wealth. As The Weeknd continues to dominate the global music scene, there is no doubt that his net worth will continue to soar.
The Weeknd‘s new movie — starring Jenna Ortega, Barry Keoghan, and himself — will be released later this year, according to a report from HotNewHipHop. An update on the movie’s IMDB page shows that The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, will also be a co-writer, along with director Trey Edward Shults and Reza Fahim.
Not a whole lot is known about the upcoming movie, like a plot or even a title, but the film marks Shults’ first since 2019’s Waves.
The movie was first announced last year via Deadline, with Shults and Ortega tapped as executive producers.
This will mark The Weeknd’s first starring role as a character, after briefly playing a fictional version of himself in 2019’s Uncut Gems. Last year, he also starred as a club owner and cult leader named Tedros in HBO’s controversial series, The Idol.
While The Weeknd’s acting has left fans divided, viewers can likely look forward to seeing him in more projects. In an interview with W Magazine, he shared that his upcoming album will likely be his last under the stage name.
“I’m going through a cathartic path right now,” he said. “It’s getting to a place and a time where I’m getting ready to close the Weeknd chapter. I’ll still make music, maybe as Abel, maybe as The Weeknd. But I still want to kill the Weeknd. And I will. Eventually. I’m definitely trying to shed that skin and be reborn.”
The Weeknd (born Abel Tesfaye) told W Magazinein May, “I’m going through a cathartic path right now. It’s getting to a place and a time where I’m getting ready to close the Weeknd chapter. I’ll still make music, maybe as Abel, maybe as The Weeknd. But I still want to kill The Weeknd. And I will. Eventually. I’m definitely trying to shed that skin and be reborn.”
But Tesfaye will have to keep The Weeknd alive at least until December, as The Weeknd’s ongoing (and seemingly never-ending) After Hours Til Dawn Tourstill has to weave through Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Australia, and New Zealand. The grand finale, per his official website, will be on December 8 at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
Still, there are signs that The Weeknd is starting to fade to black. On August 9 in Poland, he performed an unreleased song called “Another One Of Me” and billed it as “the last feature I ever do, ever in my career.” On Wednesday, August 30, Diddy confirmed that “Another One Of Me” will appear on his forthcoming The Love Album: Off The Grid and also stated it is “The Weeknd’s last collab of his career.”
Yet again, however, Tesfaye stopped short of totally killing The Weeknd because, when posting his performance to X (formerly known as Twitter, speaking of name-changes), he wrote, “the final feature… unless Daft Punk ever get back together.”
When will Tesfaye permanently retire The Weeknd in favor of his birth name? Will he do that at all? In short, we do not know because it seems he does not totally know. What we do know is that his The Idol character, Tedros, has been killed, so to speak, as HBO canceled the series earlier this week after one very controversial season.
After months of doubt about whether The Weeknd’s controversial HBO series The Idol would return for a second season, it was made official yesterday (August 28): No, the show is not continuing. Grimes, a fan of The Idol, was bummed about the cancellation news, as she revealed on X (formerly Twitter).
In a series of tweets, Grimes discussed what she liked about the show, what she wanted to see from it next, and some other things she noticed. She wrote:
“Call me crazy but I rly loved the idol. I feel like they didn’t have time to finish it but it reminded me of perfect blue meets basic instinct kinda? I wish they could have another season to rly get into the Machiavellian femme fatale arc w Depp.
When I saw perfect blue my main thought was it would have been better if she was the villain. I feel like the idol was gonna go there but it felt like they didn’t have enough time to get there. The music is also p good in it honestly – I wasn’t expecting that.
I liked the over the top dialogue – it felt like an homage to a lot of things I miss, it also reminded me of anime the way Brit Marling’s the OA feels like irk anime. If u imagine it animated it rly works – tho depp is totally magnetic on screen I wouldn’t trade the casting
Nina mcneelys choreo is also just astoundingly good especially depps solo near the end of the season. Jennie did suchhh a good job w those dance sequences too- it was mimicking something more basic but actually rly elevated and gorgeous.
I wanted so much more of the red hair journalist arc. Idk, it had it flaws but I am so tired of everything being perfect. I loved the messiness and the humanity and the self indulgence. U could tell everyone was loving filming it. I ride for the idol haha idk.”
Find Grimes’ tweets below.
Call me crazy but I rly loved the idol. I feel like they didn’t have time to finish it but it reminded me of perfect blue meets basic instinct kinda? I wish they could have another season to rly get into the Machiavellian femme fatale arc w Depp. https://t.co/KVIddsqcHS
When I saw perfect blue my main thought was it would have been better if she was the villain. I feel like the idol was gonna go there but it felt like they didn’t have enough time to get there. The music is also p good in it honestly – I wasn’t expecting that.
I liked the over the top dialogue – it felt like an homage to a lot of things I miss, it also reminded me of anime the way Brit Marling’s the OA feels like irk anime. If u imagine it animated it rly works – tho depp is totally magnetic on screen I wouldn’t trade the casting
Nina mcneelys choreo is also just astoundingly good especially depps solo near the end of the season. Jennie did suchhh a good job w those dance sequences too- it was mimicking something more basic but actually rly elevated and gorgeous.
I wanted so much more of the red hair journalist arc. Idk, it had it flaws but I am so tired of everything being perfect. I loved the messiness and the humanity and the self indulgence. U could tell everyone was loving filming it. I ride for the idol haha idk
Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye is still reacting to people’s reactions about his show with Sam Levinson, HBO’s The Idol. While the series is only three episodes in, it has become quite a hot topic online, particularly over whether it’s actually good.
Earlier this morning, The Weeknd put out a meme of sorts, which featured a photo of his Idol character and the caption, “Tedros Nation Rise.” Obviously, users had a lot of thoughts about this post.
“Trying the meme the show to be good now YIKES,” one person quoted.
The Weeknd wound up replying right back. “Nope people who hate it decided a long time ago… it’s fine. If you hate it don’t watch it. And let the fans enjoy… simple,” he told the person.
nope people who hate it decided a long time ago… it’s fine. If you hate it don’t watch it. And let the fans enjoy… simple. https://t.co/qv1SKOo4ho
Over the past few days, the musician has been trying to change people’s minds about the show, and not just stan Twitter. The Weeknd found today that even Oreo’s Twitter account was piling onto the Idol hate. “Oh f*ck they been talkin sh*t,” he reacted.
“Naw I can’t beef with you @Oreo too many beautiful memories… I’m dunking you in some champagne tonight,” The Weeknd added in a separate tweet.
naw I can’t beef with you @Oreo too many beautiful memories… I’m dunking you in some champagne tonight pic.twitter.com/5iHhfpkVzf
He’s even started retweeting an “Out Of Context The Idol” account and searching keywords for what others are saying about the show — praising the positive and discouraging the negative.
Throughout the past few weeks or so, The Idol has been getting panned by critics. For those unaware, this is the new show starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp. Moreover, the show was co-created by Sam Levinson, who is famous for Euphoria, among other things. Overall, the criticism of the show began during the Cannes Film Festival. Many felt as though the show was way too sexual, and that it was beyond good taste. This created lots of anticipation for the show, thus confirming the notion that all press is good press. Last night, the show premiered on HBO, and we got quite an introduction to the main characters.
“The Idol” Presents Us Jocelyn
The first frame of the episode gives us a close-up of Lily-Rose Depp’s face as she is in the midst of a sensual photoshoot. Depp plays Jocelyn, a global pop star who is currently on the rise. She is set to drop a new album, and the aforementioned photoshoot is for her cover art. During this scene, Jocelyn plays up the sex appeal as she even flashes her chest in the midst of the shoot. This subsequently angers one of the assistants on set, who claims this violates her nudity rider. However, Jocelyn refuses to listen as she and her team claim that she can do whatever she wants. Right from the get-go, the show is establishing the pop star as someone who is not afraid of embracing sexuality.
While all of this is going on, a new scandal emerges online. This is due to a case of revenge porn against Jocelyn. A picture of her having sex ends up leaking online, specifically on Reddit. Overall, the picture is quite explicit, and it’s better to just watch the show if you want to know what’s depicted. That said, Jocelyn becomes the number one trending topic on Twitter, and all of this is happening unbeknownst to her. Throughout all of this, her large team of publicists and managers attempt to figure out what to do. It has been established that the artist has had psychotic breaks in the past, and they don’t want to push her into another one.
Not to mention, Jocelyn has to learn choreography for the music video to her lead single “World Class Sinner.” Her team decides it is better to tell her after the practice session, as they don’t want her to be in her own head about it. However, during this time, Jocelyn can sense that something is going on. Regardless, she gets through the practice session unscathed before being told of the situation. While the viewer is led to believe that she will be devastated by this scandal, she doesn’t seem to care. She claims that it could have been worse, and her team reluctantly agrees. Moreover, some of her team decides that this is good anyway, as she can now be seen as a victim, and a Feminist icon.
As a way to show the paparazzi that she is unbothered by all of this, Jocelyn and her team go out to a nightclub that same evening. While there, she is introduced to The Weeknd’s character Tedros. Tedros owns the nightclub, and when he sees Jocelyn, he begins to watch her intently from a distance. He is clearly enamored by her and lets the entire club know that she is in the building. Additionally, he asks her to dance, and she agrees without any reluctance. This subsequently leads to a dance montage in which you can see the immediate chemistry between Tedros and Jocelyn. After a long makeout session, the two end up going their separate ways for the night, and the next day begins.
Jocelyn Hates Her Own Music
During the daytime, Jocelyn sits down for an interview with a journalist from Vanity Fair. The journalist asks her questions about the picture, but she refuses to answer. Moreover, she is also asked about her mom who recently passed away. Once again, Jocelyn is able to maneuver around a real answer. This scene eventually fades out and we get a scene in which Jocelyn is getting ready for a date with Tedros. The date is taking place at Jocelyn’s mansion, and she ups the sex appeal again with a red and black lace robe and some high-heels.
When Tedros arrives, he immediately gives off some bizarre vibes. The Weeknd’s portrayal of this character is mysterious, but also downright creepy. For instance, he stuns Jocelyn’s assistant by giving her a kiss on the cheek as he walks in. Subsequently, he and Jocelyn grab a drink at her mini-bar where they discuss music. This is where Jocelyn admits that she hates her own music. She calls it superficial pop that has no substance. However, Tedros disagrees, noting that Prince made pop music and was a legend. Eventually, Jocelyn brings Tedros to her at-home studio and shows “World Class Sinner.”‘
Tedros tells Jocelyn that the song is great, however, she sings it like someone who doesn’t know “how to f***.” It’s a ridiculous and cringe statement that is an indictment of some of the writing here. However, Jocelyn vows to prove this is not the case. This eventually leads to Tedros wrapping Jocelyn’s head in her own robe and cutting a slit in the mouth so she can breathe. The implication here is pretty clear, and then the episode just ends.
Episode 1 of The Idol certainly leaves you feeling like more could have been explained. However, we imagine there will be a lot of ground covered over the coming episodes. As for the criticisms of the show, it’s easy to see where those were coming from. There is a lot of gratuitous sex, and for a lot of people, it may be a bit much. Either way, HBO, Sam Levinson, and The Weeknd are confident they have a hit on their hands, with The Idol. Only time will tell whether or not that’s the case.
With HBO’s controversial new show The Idol just days from its long-awaited premiere, the show’s star, The Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfaye), announced the release of the latest single from its accompanying soundtrack, The Idol, Vol. 1. While he didn’t reveal the song’s title, he did share the names of its guest features. Appropriately for the dark theme of the show, Playboi Carti will appear alongside the original pop idol, Madonna, on the song, which comes out on Friday, June 2, ahead of the show’s June 4 premiere.
Although the first few episodes of the show were panned at Cannes Film Festival, the show’s co-creators Tesfaye and Sam Levinson remain convinced that the controversy is only going to lead to one of the most-watched shows in HBO history. Meanwhile, Levinson and co-star Lily-Rose Depp insisted that the show is not about Britney Spears; Madonna’s presence on the soundtrack makes it clear that the series’ perspective is inspired by many pop stars over the years.
The Weeknd said that the soundtrack was inspired by artists like Prince and Pink Floyd, so it’ll be interesting to see what that’ll sound like with the artists involved. The Weeknd previously released the Future-featuring song “Double Fantasy” from the soundtrack, so perhaps that can give listeners some idea of what to expect.
While Succession has come to a final series close, HBO is starting a new one up to replace the Sunday night slot with the controversial series, The Idol. Ahead of the show’s June 4 premiere on the streaming service, there is also a new trailer to (hopefully) build some hype for it.
The show features Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp playing a boyfriend and a fictional pop star named Jocelyn.
“You’re the American dream,” Tesfaye says in the clip. “Rags to riches. Trailers to mansions. You are f*cking Jocelyn. Just be you.”
From the creator of Euphoria, starring Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp, the new series premieres Sunday at 9 pm ET on @streamonmax. pic.twitter.com/bQaqNb8BRE
The latest teaser then features scenes of her being critiqued about the backup dancers, recording in the studio, and hinting at some of the wild explicit scenes with Tesfaye. Just a few months ago, a Rolling Stone article alleged that the showrunner, Euphoria‘s Sam Levinson, had created some rough working conditions.
Then, after The Idol held its official premiere, it debuted with a 20% score on Rotten Tomatoes that later fell to the single digits. It now sits at 27%, but still. Variety also described it as a show that “seems calculated to fool audiences into thinking they’re observing how Hollywood operates, when so much of it amounts to tawdry clichés lifted from Sidney Sheldon novels and softcore porn.”
Check out the new trailer for HBO’s The Idol above.
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