The Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfaye) did a new interview with Vanity Fair, ahead of his upcoming HBO show, The Idol, premiering at Cannes this week. However, the series, which Tesfaye stars in, has encountered some controversy along the way.
A few months ago, Rolling Stone came out with an article that alleged it had gone “wildly, disgustingly off the rails.” Sources also claimed that there were tons of rewrites and reshoots from showrunner Sam Levinson (Euphoria) that turned it into “twisted torture porn.”
“It was like any rape fantasy that any toxic man would have in the show, and then the woman comes back for more because it makes her music better,” one source claimed.
Just a few hours after the piece gained traction, Tesfaye pushed back on social media, using a clip from The Idol where his character calls the publication irrelevant. During his Coachella appearance at Metro Boomin’s set, he skipped over the Rolling Stone lyric of “Heartless.” Now, he’s continuing to make his thoughts clear.
“I thought the article was ridiculous,” Tesfaye said in the Vanity Fair interview. “I wanted to give a ridiculous response to it.”
“I actually really loved working with Amy [Seimetz],” he added, touching upon a claim about tensions with Seimetz, who departed the show during the early production process, “and I’m sure she’s reading all this being like, ‘Why am I being thrown into this?’”
Tesfaye’s The Idol is set to begin airing on Max starting June 4.
It’s been a busy few months for The Weeknd, or Abel Tesfaye, as prefers to go by these days. At this time, the Canadian is preparing for the highly anticipated premiere of his HBO series, The Idol, in which he stars alongside Lily-Rose Depp. Telling the story of a young pop star (played by the model) influenced to lean into her wild side by a manipulative guru (portrayed by the singer), the controversial, super raunchy series has already faced criticism from Rolling Stone. Still, that’s not stopping Tesfaye from moving forward with confidence.
Aside from that project, the “Starboy” hitmaker has also been venturing further into the world of film. After pleasing fans with his appearance in the Safdie brother’s Uncut Gems alongside Adam Sandler and Julia Fox, he co-wrote the script for another movie which he’s also producing and starring in. The news first broke at the end of February, at which time Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) and Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin) were announced as co-stars.
Penning the script alongside Tesfaye were Reza Fahim, Kevin Turen, and Harrison Kreiss. Updates surrounding the project have been minimal since the first announcement, however, on Monday (May 15), it was reported that the shooting has already wrapped on the untitled film. Further updates, such as storylines and a release date still remain unknown but are sure to arrive online in the coming weeks as post-production unfolds.
It’s been a huge few years for 20-year-old Jenna Ortega, who not only captivated audiences with her work in Netflix’s You and Wednesday but also made waves as a new face in the Scream franchise. Apart from those roles, you may also recognize her from X, The Fallout, or Jane the Virgin. The budding starlet previously spoke about her experience working with Tesfaye in March, calling him “genuinely such a sweetheart,” as ET Canada reports. What do you think the plot of The Weeknd’s upcoming movie will be about? Leave your theories in the comments, and tap back in with HNHH later for more pop culture news updates.
Last week, macabre singer The Weeknd announced his intention to “kill” The Weeknd persona in favor of performing under his real name, Abel Tesfaye. “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.”
Over the weekend — you know, the one on the calendar — he took steps to further that plan on social media. Fans on Twitter noticed that he’d adjusted his handle on the platform; while he can still be found at @TheWeeknd (for now), the name above that reads Abel Tesfaye.
The change is just in time for Abel’s television acting debut in The Idol, which premieres on HBO in just a few weeks. The show has proven to be controversial for behind-the-scenes reports of production difficulties and sexualized, violent content, but Tesfaye hopes to silence his critics when it releases. It’ll also feature brand-new music from the evolving artist, who says that his next album as The Weeknd will be his last.
Given recent statements and interviews, we all knew that The Weekndwill soon be no more, and instead Abel Makkonen Tesfaye will continue his career. However, we’re sure that many out there didn’t expect it to manifest so soon, albeit in a small way. Moreover, the Canadian superstar recently changed his social media handles to display his real name instead of his stage name. With that, he seems to hav begun the process of shedding his persona’s skin in favor of his birth name, which makes sense considering his future endeavors. After all, his series “The Idol” will premiere on HBO soon.
“I’m going through a cathartic path right now,” the 33-year-old remarked. “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.” In addition to his media ventures, he also reportedly became part of a bidding war for the Ottawa Senators hockey team.
Regardless, this is kind of sad news for longtime fans of The Weeknd, but only because of the nostalgic factor. While his career will continue to flourish, fans will never forget just how impactful, influential, and groundbreaking those first few projects were. Still, Abel is arguably at his artistic peak right now, with critical acclaim catching up to his gargantuan commercial success and popularity. For example, he recently provided executive production on Mike Dean’s latest album, a role that one would expect them to swap. But to box the “Double Fantasy” star in like that would be a travesty.
Meanwhile, we still have that third album in the After Hours and Dawn FM trilogy to look forward to. Given those albums’ themes, sonic fusions of all his past styles, and their astonishing presence in pop culture when they dropped, its final installment would be a fitting send-off. It’ll be bittersweet, but all great things must come to an end, even The Weeknd. The truly important thing here is that there’s only more greatness on the way after that. For more news and the latest updates on Abel Tesfaye, check back in with HNHH.
Despite being seen as a front-runner to buy the Ottawa Senators, Ryan Reynolds is reportedly dropping his bid ahead of the May 15 submission deadline. Reynolds had partnered with real estate mogul Chris Batty to prepare a bid reportedly worth $1 billion. His bid was one of seven reportedly in the race to buy the Senators after the death of long-time owner Eugene Melnyk last year. Melnyk had owned the team since 2000.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 29: Ryan Reynolds attends the FYC Red Carpet For FX’s “Welcome To Wrexham” at The Television Academy on April 29, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
According to sources, the Reynolds-led Remington Group bid left the process after being denied an exclusive 30-day window to secure an arena deal in downtown Ottawa. This suggests that the Habs would have left Canadian Tire Centre if the group had secured ownership of the team. The only stipulation the NHL has implemented about the sale is that the new owners must keep the team in Ottawa.
However, the departure of the presumptive front-runner leaves the bidding war wide open. The NHL board were “very impressed” when they met Reynolds and appeared eager to have him buy the Senators. Galaioto Sports Partners, who are overseeing the sale, have declined to officially say how many bids they expect to receive. But of the ones that are public, there are obviously pros and cons to each. Sparks’ Hollywood-backed bid has the potential to bring major star power to Ottawa. However, it is also the least Canadian of the public-revealed bids. Conversely, many of the other bids are being led by wealthy Canadians but lack the star appeal of Hollywood. In a way, that’s what made Reynolds the perfect potential owner. However, all we can do now is wait and see who officially submits a bid before May 15. Get all the latest sports news here on HotNewHipHop
The Weeknd has a lot of hits, but his career may be ending soon. His real name is Abel Tesfaye, but his moniker, The Weeknd, which he’s operated under for about a decade, will reportedly die after his next album. “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,” Tesfaye said to W Magazine. “But I still want to kill The Weeknd. And I will. Eventually. I’m definitely trying to shed that skin and be reborn.”
The Idol Vol. 1, set to go with his upcoming HBO show, will be his final project under his current name. If that is true, Tesfaye has made a ton of The Weeknd hits in his incredible career. From his mixtape days to the commercial albums, many of his genre-bending tracks have become staples for listeners. Here are the best of what he’s released so far.
“Losers” ft. Labrinth (2014)
Hailing from Beauty Behind the Madness, The Weeknd’s first studio album, “Losers” is a dynamic mashup. The songwriting is among Tesfaye’s best here, with lines such as, “Cause stupid’s next to ‘I love you.’” The Labrinth feature works perfectly and the instrumentals are both some of his most creative and best. Two excellent verses and a stunning bridge combined with the excellent production make this one of The Weeknd’s hits to remember.
“Alone Again” (2020)
While it’s not quite the best song on After Hours, his best project to date, “Alone Again,” is a near-perfect intro track. It’s a harrowing beginning that melts into an absolute blast. This is his most cohesive album to date, and it all starts with this track. “Oh baby, won’t you remind me what I am? And break, break my little cold heart” is one of his best lyrics. It sets the tone for the album and shows that he’s not here to mess around.
It’s not the only Daft Punk collaboration, but it is the best. “Starboy” is one of The Weeknd’s hits that has stayed in his listeners’ minds since 2016. The opening verse features some incredible bars like “P1 cleaner than your church shoes” and a ton of flexes over his counterparts like “Side b**** out of your league, too.” Starboy is often considered a mixed bag by his most ardent listeners, but no one can deny this excellent track.
“Wicked Games” (2012)
From House of Balloons, “Wicked Games” is one of The Weeknd’s hits from the mixtape era that infiltrated the mainstream. Many listeners weren’t really around until he burst onto the scene with Beauty Behind the Madness, but this song has retroactively permeated everyone’s playlists. The production, lyricism, and a few brutally honest lyrics about his own behavior make “Wicked Games” a great listen.
“How Do I Make You Love Me?” (2022)
Dawn FM is definitely The Weeknd’s most experimental album. Tesfaye decided to make an album as if listeners were listening to a radio station—complete with DJ Jim Carrey working the microphone. There are a lot of great hits on this album, but “How Do I Make You Love Me?” is the best. Utilizing a slight accent, The Weeknd made this song stand out and feel like it came from another artist over the radio. It also has excellent production and an incredible chorus to top it all off.
Most of the time, when Ed Sheeran dabbles in hip-hop, it doesn’t work all that well (looking at his attempted rap verse on the Taylor Swift, Future hit “End Game”). However, the decision to put the British singer in “Dark Times” was good. The verses of both singers crooning about the bloody consequences of their poor decisions make for some of the best storytelling in any The Weeknd’s hits. Both of their vocals are great, and the production is less hip-hop and leans more towards some alternative country, which makes Sheeran fit in exceptionally well.
“After Hours” (2020)
After Hours is a nearly perfect album. “After Hours” is one of the best songs from The Weeknd’s entire discography. The entire album features a brutally honest look at himself, but this song takes it to another level. He’s open and honest about his fears and struggles in a way that’s rarely seen by artists. It all works together in a song and music video akin to the Martin Scorcese film of the same name. The fact that The Weeknd could pull all that off in a song and album is an impressive feat.
“Blinding Lights” (2019)
The Weeknd’s best song is “Blinding Lights.” It was inescapable after it debuted in late November. Little did fans know that it was a great omen for his upcoming album. Even when the album dropped and tons of incredible songs were released, “Blinding Lights” is the best and most recognizable track. With it, Tesfaye blended his underground song-making abilities with the mainstream to make a song that is quite literally for everyone. Which The Weeknd hits are your favorite?
