The Weeknd

Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known artistically as The Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor.1 Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, romance, and melancholy, and is often inspired by personal experiences.2 He has received numerous accolades, including four Grammy Awards,  20 Billboard Music Awards, 17 Juno Awards, six American Music Awards, two MTV Awards Video Music Awards and nominations for an Academy Award, a Latin Grammy Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Born and raised in Toronto, Tesfaye began his career in 2009, when he was just 19 years old, releasing music anonymously on YouTube. Two years later, he co-founded the record label XO and released the mixtapes House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence, who gained recognition for their contemporary and alternative R&B style and the mystique surrounding their identity.4 In 2012, he signed with Republic Records and re-released the mixtapes on the compilation album Trilogy. He explored dark wave on his debut studio album Kiss Land (2013), which debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200. After its release, Tesfaye began contributing to film soundtracks, with his acclaimed single "Earned It" from Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) winning the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance, while also receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.