The Weeknd will celebrate his 26th birthday on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016. And after having bagged two Grammy Awards — for the Best R&B Performance and the Best Urban Contemporary Album — it looks like singer Abel Tesfaye, best known by his stage name The Weeknd, has reasons to celebrate and have a big bash.
Well, it can't be just a coincidence that The Weeknd made his first official red carpet appearance at the Grammys 2016 with his rumoured girlfriend Bella Hadid (younger sister of model Gigi Hadid), and we think lady luck worked in favour of the singer, who walked away a winner, or should we say with a special birthday gift?
He is undoubtedly one of the finest discoveries in recent times. Little was known about this singer until late 2010 when tracks "What You Need," "Loft Music" and "The Morning," credited to The Weeknd, first appeared on YouTube. And gradually, in 2012 the artiste behind these tracks was revealed Abel Tesfaye, who was born in Toronto, Canada.
On his birthday today, we decided to compile a list of similar interesting facts about the "In The Night" singer.
- When Tesfaye first entered the industry, he was so insecure he would ask to be cropped out of photos.
- He is of Ethiopian descent: His parents migrated from Ethiopia in the 1980s.
- Tesfaye speaks fluent Amharic, which was actually the first language he learned.
- Tesfaye's father was never around when he was growing up, and he has had no contact with him since he was a boy. His mother was constantly working, so it was his grandmother who took care of him during his childhood.
- Tesfaye didn't leave his hometown Toronto until he was 21.
- Tesfaye adopted the stage name "The Weeknd," after dropping out of high school at the age of 17. He and a fellow crew-member left home one weekend and never came back. He hated his real name and so decided to have a stage name. The spelling of his stage name was changed because there was already a Canadian band with the name The Weekend.
- Before concerts, The Weeknd gets his energy right by blasting Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall."
- Tesfaye has been growing out his signature hairstyle for four years, and is maintaining it with an occasional wash using hard shampoo.
- The Joker is Tesfaye's favourite movie villain of all time.
He's got the world grooving to his tunes, so what better way other than listening to some of The Weeknd best songs to celebrate his birthday.
- Can't Feel My Face
- The Hills
- In The Night
- Kiss Land
- Wicked Games
- Earned It
- House of Balloons
- The Zone
- XO
- Low Life
