Since his indie debut House of Balloons, few predicted Toronto-born Abel Tesfaye would become pop’s dark prince. Yet the success of 2021’s After Hours music video featuring Daniel Craig catapulted him into mainstream popularity; last February’s Super Bowl halftime performance cemented his legacy further.

This dramatic interlude examines the morally grey area between love and desire. Abel’s vocal vulnerability merges with haunting existential lyrics to create an intoxicating confession of dangerous passions.

1. Abel Tesfaye

Toronto singer Abel Tesfaye made his pop music debut with House of Balloons’ indie hit in 2011; few could have predicted that he’d become pop’s reigning dark prince. Since then, this self-described “emo/toxic bachelor” has released an enormous catalog of songs exploring self-loathing, overindulged partying habits, paranoiac drugs and unwanted fame – as well as providing his signature melodies about such subjects as oversexualization of self-loathing and empty hook-ups from too much partying!

Abel combines her vocal vulnerability and haunting existential lyrics into this searing confession of dangerous lust, creating an unforgettable and spine-chilling song. His melancholic production recalls the dreamy atmosphere created by Burial and Ariel Pink tracks – making this ideal for her dramatic tale about an impossible love triangle that’s gone sour.

The Weeknd is an iconic figure of seduction and otherworldliness, known for his captivating yet disquietingly sexual falsetto. A master of mood and atmosphere creation, his music has made him popular with nightclub promoters and record labels alike.

Doja Cat is an expert at collaborating, often joining forces with artists whose sounds meld seamlessly with his. These collaborative albums often turn out more cohesive than his standalone releases.

The Weeknd has long been a familiar face on the awards circuit, attending events such as Grammys, MTV Music Video Awards and American Music Awards. He’s also made film appearances like Starboy (2020) and 2021’s The Fate of the Furious (2021). Most recently he’s co-starring alongside Lily-Rose Depp as Tedros in HBO’s new series The Idol (starring as Tedros). Now with this announcement of changing his stage name to something else it seems clear he wants to test his creative limits further and it will be exciting to see where this takes him!

2. The Weeknd

Toronto singer The Weeknd burst onto the music scene with his House of Balloons release and quickly rose to become pop’s reigning dark prince. Since then, his body of work includes an impressive array of emo/toxic-bachelor music exploring topics like self-loathing, empty relationships and paranoid drugs – now featuring Dawn FM as his latest project he dives deeper into existential themes that have long fascinated other artists.

Abel’s production recalls the same vapor-wave music that inspired Burial & Ariel Pink, creating a melancholic yet mesmeric atmosphere for his raw yet audaciously honest lyrics to create an engaging narrative about heartbreaking relationships that resonates with anyone who’s felt their emotions from past experiences seep into present ones.

“Mushroom Tea,” Abel tells an emotive tale about overcoming challenges to gain someone’s affections. The lyrical motif of crossing an angry sea and fixing mushroom tea represents his willingness to make any sacrifice necessary for true intimacy in his relationship. This track elevates The Weeknd’s signature combination of raw vulnerability and audacious honesty even further, cementing this track’s place within The Weeknd’s album concept.

3. Abel Tesfaye & The Weeknd

The Weeknd has become one of the most recognized names in pop music. He is best known for his explicit songs about sexuality and drug use, as well as for his signature falsetto that has been described as both seductive and unyielding. Furthermore, he makes use of various sounds–ranging from R&B to synthpop–to craft his unique sound.

Canadian musician The Weeknd first made an impactful musical statement with his 2011 indie breakthrough House of Balloons album. Few could have anticipated his meteoric rise; few could have anticipated that he would become such an international pop icon; now, however, both fans and critics alike find his dark yet nihilistic music style to be both exciting and repellant.

He has conquered multiple charts, sold out arenas worldwide, and earned himself the reputation as one of the greatest performers ever seen on stage. His career trajectory has been both surprising and fascinating to watch: beginning his journey as an R&B insurgent before transitioning into tentative pop star status and eventually emerging as an unwavering superstar.

Tesfaye’s blend of cryptic lyrics and melancholic melodies create an alluring atmosphere, inspired by the vapor wave music of Burial and Ariel Pink. His raw vulnerability and unapologetic honesty make him an engaging artist – something few others can match.

In addition to his musical releases, The Weeknd has taken steps to support his community through charitable donations made via the XO Humanitarian Fund, as well as supporting Lebanon via a fundraiser created by his manager Wassim Slaiby after bombings struck its capital city of Beirut.

4. Abel Tesfaye & The Weeknd & The Weeknd

Few could have predicted The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye), the Canadian singer who revolutionized R&B with his 2011 mixtape House of Balloons would become such an international superstar. Yet with 2021’s After Hours’ unprecedented success and Daniel Craig appearing in its music video “Call Out Your Name”, plus last February’s Super Bowl halftime performance as proof, his reign as pop’s reigning dark prince became undeniable.

The Weeknd’s music is full of melancholy romance, as he expresses his longing to connect with those he loves on a deeper and often psychedelic level. Additionally, his lyrics often refer to experiencing vast emotional distances. These themes are further explored by its accompanying video in which heartbroken The Weeknd wanders the deserted streets of New York City before encountering various characters whom he attempts to win over with various techniques.

After rising to fame under his globally recognized stage name The Weeknd, Abel Tesfaye (33 years old) decided Monday to drop it and return to his real name: Abel Tesfaye will now appear as his display name on Twitter and Instagram accounts; though both accounts will continue using @theweeknd for their usernames.

He has been hinting at change for some time, telling W Magazine earlier this month that he desired to kill off his persona. It appears he was finally ready to move past being remembered as someone wearing red blazers, eating LSD-laced frogs, and watching The X-Files binge-watching marathons; today he’s an accomplished Grammy award-winning artist with billions of streams under his belt and millions of adoring fans who call him Abel directly.

5. Abel Tesfaye & The Weeknd & The Weeknd

Few artists have accomplished as much success in staking a claim to the most intimate aspects of pop music as Abel Tesfaye, more commonly known by his stage name The Weeknd. Since releasing his haunting mixtape House of Balloons in 2011, The Toronto native has collaborated with Drake, other high-profile musicians as well as creating his own mesmerizing blend of R&B and electronic sounds that is both mysterious yet captivating.

Tesfaye’s music often explores love, desire, loss, addiction and depression – often using an intriguing blend of electronic beats and traditional vocal melodies; sometimes with an occasional rapped interjection to add texture and dimension.

Tesfaye may be divisive in pop music circles, but he certainly has his fans. Guinness World Records recently recognized him as the world’s most-listened to artist based on monthly Spotify listeners – currently holding more than 111.4 million monthly users!

He’s best-known for his depressing songs about oversexed self-loathing, empty hook-ups, paranoid drugs and despicable fame; yet not above having some fun either; he loves all of the late-night talk shows and recently performed an amusing skit with James Corden that involved dancing and an obstacle course!

Tesfaye has had an extraordinary career, so it should come as no surprise that he manages multiple projects at once. While still filming a movie about pop star and cult leader relationships, he co-wrote and will direct an HBO series about pop superstar life – it speaks volumes for his talents that everything runs so smoothly despite having multiple projects underway at any given time.