The Weeknd ¦ House Of Balloons

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Veröffentlichung House Of Balloons:

2011

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House of Balloons is the debut mixtape by Canadian singer the Weeknd. It was released on March 21, 2011, by the artist's own record label XO. The mixtape was released for free on the Weeknd's website and was the subject of increased media discussion upon the use of its songs on television, as well as the then-anonymous identity of the individual behind the Weeknd. House of Balloons was entirely recorded in Toronto, with production handled primarily by the Weeknd, Doc McKinney, Illangelo, and Cirkut; the Weeknd would later collaborate with McKinney and Illangelo on several future releases. Its title is derived from the nickname the singer gave to his former home in Parkdale, Toronto.[3]

The mixtape received widespread acclaim, with critics praising its dark aesthetic, production, and lyrical content. It is widely regarded as a major influence on contemporary R&B music, being credited for pioneering alternative R&B.[4] Musically House of Balloons was noted for mixing R&B with elements of soul, trip hop, indie rock, dream pop, and electronic music.[5] Lyrically, the mixtape explores the Weeknd's drug use and experiences with love, heartbreak, and promiscuity.[6]

House of Balloons was commercially released as part of the compilation album Trilogy (2012) and included the singles "Wicked Games" and "Twenty Eight", the latter of which is a bonus track. On its tenth anniversary, the original mixtape was released in digital formats, and included samples which failed to gain copyright clearance on Trilogy.[7] The reissue was accompanied by a limited edition line of merchandise designed by architect Daniel Arsham.[8]

Background

In August 2009, Abel Tesfaye began anonymously releasing music on YouTube.[9][10] The following year, he met Jeremy Rose, a producer who had an idea for a dark contemporary R&B project. After initially trying to pitch the idea to musician Curtis Santiago, Rose played one of his instrumentals for Tesfaye, who freestyle rapped over it. Rose produced many songs for Tesfaye. Three of these songs – "What You Need", "Loft Music" and "The Party & The After Party" – would appear on House of Balloons. Among the scrapped songs includes an early version of The Morning.[11] The two would go their separate ways after disagreements about songwriting, but Rose let Tesfaye keep the tracks he had produced under the condition that he would be credited for them.[12] In December 2010, Tesfaye uploaded "What You Need", "Loft Music" and "The Morning" to YouTube under the username "xoxxxoooxo".[13][14] His identity was initially unknown. The songs drew some attention online, and were later included in a blog post from rapper Drake.[12][15] The songs subsequently received coverage from various media outlets, including Pitchfork and The New York Times.[16]

Before adopting the stage name the Weeknd, Tesfaye released music under the aliases the Noise and Kin Kane.[17] His current stage name was chosen in tribute to when he dropped out of school, took his mattress, "left one weekend and never came home." However, Rose claims the name was his idea.[18][19] The last 'e' was excluded to avoid trademark problems with pop rock band the Weekend.[20] In the beginning of his career, Tesfaye worked at American Apparel. Due to his anonymity, his co-workers listened to his music without knowing it was him.[21][22][23]

In 2011, Tesfaye met music executives Wassim "Sal" Slaiby and Amir "Cash" Esmailian, with whom, along with Taylor, he founded the XO record label.[24] On March 21, Tesfaye released his debut mixtape House of Balloons.[25][26][27] The mixtape included production from producers Illangelo and Doc McKinney, and included the tracks produced by Rose, although he did not receive production credits.[12] House of Balloons was named as one of ten shortlisted nominees for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize.[28] On August 18, Tesfaye released his second mixtape Thursday, which received generally positive reviews.[29] His third mixtape, Echoes of Silence, was released on December 21. It was a longlisted nominee for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize.[30][31]

Composition

The album's eclectic music uses samples of Beach House's "Master of None" (2006) and "Gila" (2008), and Aaliyah's "Rock the Boat" (2001).[32] The title track heavily samples Siouxsie and the Banshees' 1980 single "Happy House".[33] Pitchfork said: "'Happy House' is worked into a softly anthemic slow-burn number full of diva-ish vocals tied to a chilly beat". The guitar 'riff remains untouched and runs throughout most of the track, giving it a filmy pop feel that periodically peaks with a generous swipe from the "Happy House" chorus".[33] The track "The Knowing" samples the 1990 track "Cherry-Coloured Funk" by Cocteau Twins.[34] Joe Colly of Pitchfork observed "weird, morning-after tales of lust, hurt, and over-indulgence", complemented by "lush, downcast music" on the album, and compared its "specific nocturnal quality" to that of The xx's 2009 self-titled debut.[35] Pitchfork's Eric Grandy wrote that the title track has the Weeknd "emoting in an androgynous falsetto one minute, muttering unbelievable curses the next".[36] Paul Lewster of The Guardian viewed that, although more than half of the mixtape features samples, only the title track makes it "evident".[37]

Promotion

The song "High for This" was featured in the promo for the final season of the HBO show Entourage in July 2011.[38] On November 24, 2011, the Weeknd's first official music video, for his song "The Knowing," hit the Internet on his Vimeo page.[39] The song was first released on House of Balloons and the video was directed by French filmmaker Mikael Colombu, who has also worked with American singer CeeLo Green.[40] The nearly eight-minute clip is described by authors Carrie Battan and Amy Phillips of Pitchfork as, "a time traveling, Afrofuturist, science fiction battle of the sexes that demands to be watched in HD."[41]

On July 24, 2011, Tesfaye held his first live performance at the Mod Club Theatre in Toronto.[42][43] After the performance, Drake met with Tesfaye to discuss collaborations, which led to Tesfaye earning an appearance at his OVO Festival.[44] He also participated in concerts hosted by the Black Student Association at the University of Toronto.[23]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.0/10[45]
Metacritic87/100[46]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[47]
The A.V. ClubB+[48]
The Boston Phoenix[49]
Consequence of Sound[50]
Drowned in Sound8/10[51]
Fact4/5[52]
Now4/5[53]
Pitchfork8.5/10[54]
PopMatters9/10[55]

House of Balloons received widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, House of Balloons received a weighted average score of 87 based on 16 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[46] Sean Fennessey of The Village Voice was impressed by the mixtape, calling it "patient, often gorgeous, and consistently louche... with the sort of blown-out underbelly and echo-laden crooning that has already made Drake's less-than-a-year-old Thank Me Later such an influential guidepost."[56] Maegan McGregor of Exclaim! stated that House of Balloons "easily stands as one of the year's best debuts so far, hipster, top 40 or otherwise."[57] Sputnikmusic's Tyler Fisher said that "despite being a free album, House of Balloons feels like a true album, a true labor of love."[58] Tom Ewing of The Guardian felt that while the Weeknd's vocals and lyrics on House of Balloons "aren't especially strong by R&B standards," much of the album's attention was attracted by its strong command of mood.[59]

In December 2011, Metacritic determined that House of Balloons was the third best-reviewed project of the year.[60] AnyDecentMusic? ranked it at number 10 on its list of compilation of the rankings of the best 2011 albums from 30 magazines, newspapers and websites.[61] Additionally, the mixtape was featured on several music critics' and publications' end-of-year albums lists. Complex called it the "best album of 2011;"[62] Stereogum ranked it number 5;[63] The Guardian ranked it number 8;[64] The A.V. Club ranked it number 6;[65] SPIN ranked it (as well as Thursday) number 13;[66] while Pitchfork ranked it number 10.[67] As a whole, House of Balloons was the seventh most frequently mentioned album in music publications' year-end top ten lists.[68] The mixtape was named as one of the longlisted of nominees for the 2011's Polaris Music Prize.[69] The mixtape's title track was placed on Pitchfork's list of top 100 songs of 2011 at number 57, while "The Morning" was number 15.[70] In 2021, it was listed at No. 488 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time".[71]

Legacy and influence

House of Balloons is considered by many to be one of the most influential R&B releases in recent years, specifically the 2010s. It is credited for paving the way for other R&B artists to release music without showing their faces, shifting the content of mainstream R&B music and bringing alternative R&B into the mainstream.[72]

For a time after House of Balloons, many artists — from Usher (left) to Rihanna (right) — found inspiration in the Weeknd.[73]

Julian Kimble of Complex wrote, "House of Balloons, in tandem with Frank Ocean’s Nostalgia, Ultra, was responsible for a sharp pivot within R&B. The project invaded this stale area, soldering genres together to bring much-needed originality to a template mired by stagnancy at the decade’s turn. Neither his songwriting nor subject matter were cavalier, but his overall aesthetic was enticing." He later describes how, "Its channeling of temptation’s distinct gleam is a significant part of its legacy."[74] Pitchfork wrote, "Of course, a significant part of House of Balloons' appeal was that it was unexpected, and that it tapped into our subconscious. It satisfied an unrealized need."[75] Bianca Gracie of Uproxx stated, "House Of Balloons is frightening in its relatability. It forced listeners to confront the loneliness they feel after realizing partying is the only thing that sustains them." Continuing to add, "Being only a year younger than Tesfaye, we had parallel coming-of-age experiences: dabbling in similar substances, using all-night college parties as escapism from depression, and ultimately sought comfort in a mixtape that targeted a shared despondency." She later stated, "The mixtape reflected a doomed generation who grew up with films like Kids, Trainspotting, Requiem For A Dream, and A Clockwork Orange. We didn’t want to be seen. Like Tesfaye, we hid our faces behind Tumblr photos that showed both a brilliant, snarky sense of humor and a not-so-subtle cry for help."[76] Patrick Lyons of Stereogum wrote, "Perhaps inviting listeners to use their imaginations added something. You could envision the scenarios described in all four of those early tracks unfolding in the same location, a seedy-but-well-furnished apartment that housed no permanent residents — a party pad with dim, reddish lighting and Himalayan piles of cocaine on every horizontal surface, all of which are made of glass. It's a loft where the walls kick like they're six months pregnant, where women call cabs at dawn and forget their high-heeled shoes. Leave your girl back home."[77] Sam Hockley-Smith of The Fader said, "Balloons ' legacy is massive. It looms large over everything we've heard. It made happy songs passe. It made the very concept of contentment seem lame. It spawned a vast legion of imitators, all tracing song lyrics in mounds of cocaine on mirrors at 6 a.m. It was a fashionable version of depression, done very well. That sounds disparaging, but I don't want it to be. House of Balloons got everything right, which is why it caused such a seismic shift in music."[78]

Singers such as Bryson Tiller (left) or 6LACK's (right) ballads about lost love can be attributed to the Weeknd's own style.[79]

Gabby Sgherri of BeatRoute said, "Let's go back to 2011; an era when R&B was dominated by pretty boys by the likes of Usher and Jeremiah who exuded confidence, making fans swoon with their dance moves and romantic lyrics. The Weeknd was different. His elusive mixtape titled House of Balloons, a drug-drenched and emotionally chilling collection of songs, showed up deep in forums and niche music blogs. It was faceless, nameless—an antithesis to the genre."[80] Micah Wimmer of Medium stated, "It has cast a shadow over contemporary music, inviting others to join him in those shadows, creating a murkier, darker, more depraved style that is now omnipresent. Yet in spite of this style's prevalence today, no one has bettered what Tesfaye does here. Many R&B singers and rappers sing of lives that the average listener will never be able to relate to or fully understand — songs of glamor, wealth, and extravagance — but there may be no other instance where the listener will be more grateful for that than on House of Balloons. The album's title evokes thoughts of a party, certainly, yet the title seems bitterly ironic, as the parties detailed here are nihilistic, rather than joyful. Many albums create a world that draws one in for the record's duration, becoming a place of comfort and certainty. This record certainly achieves this goal of luring in the listener, yet by becoming one of its many fans, one becomes complicit rather than comfortable. It is a record that awes and overwhelms — a record I love wholeheartedly and revisit regularly — yet it is also one that discomfits, both rewarding and haunting the listener long after the party's over."[81] Rose Lilah of HotNewHipHop wrote, "The Toronto native remodeled what it meant to be a fan by creating music that coincided or identified with a specific lifestyle and time's in one life, thus sparking the cult-like XO fanbase, and creating a blueprint for artists when it comes to the importance of branding identity and having a "movement." However, beyond a savvy business strategy, Abel also refurbished an existing genre, spawned a new sub-genre, and encouraged experimentation and evolution in the generation of artists that have followed his lead."[82] A. Harmony of Exclaim! said that "the ripple effect that House of Balloons had on R&B cannot be understated. The change was so pervasive that it birthed a new subgenre — alternative R&B — where more rebels and rule-breakers could usher in a new guard. The mixtape's influence endures in artists like Bryson Tiller and 6LACK. The Weeknd's early days of mystery and elusiveness were replicated by H.E.R. and SAULT. The legion of R&B fans, who would have otherwise never embraced the genre, continues to grow. Nothing about House of Balloons was supposed to succeed, but therein lies its magic. An album that bold could only either fail spectacularly — or change everything."[83] In 2015, Rolling Stone made a list of "12 Great Songs That Wouldn't Exist Without the Weeknd", citing the mixtape as their inspiration. The songs listed were: Miguel's "Adorn", Usher's "Climax", Dawn Richard's "Pretty Wicked Things", Justin Bieber's "PYD", Jhené Aiko's "The Vapors", Drake's "Hold On, We're Going Home", Tove Lo's "Habits (Stay High)", FKA Twigs' "Two Weeks", Kelela's "The High", SZA's "Babylon", Tinashe's "2 On" and PartyNextDoor's "Recognize".[84]

I’m not gonna say any names, but just listen to the radio. Every song is House of Balloons 2.0.

The Weeknd, on House of Balloons with Rolling Stone, October 2015[85]

During an interview with Rolling Stone in 2015, the Weeknd said of the mixtape, "It definitely changed the culture. No one can do a trilogy again without thanking the Weeknd. A lot of artists started doing things faster and quicker after that: Justin Timberlake dropped two albums in a year, Beyoncé dropped a surprise album."[86] In an interview with Variety in 2020, he said, "House of Balloons' literally changed the sound of pop music before my eyes. I heard 'Climax,' that [2012] Usher song, and was like, 'Holy f—, that’s a Weeknd song.' It was very flattering, and I knew I was doing something right, but I also got angry. But the older I got, I realized it's a good thing." Wassim Slaiby, the Weeknd's manager, in the same interview said, "People saw the rise but have no idea how hard Abel and our small team worked for years before we got the recognition. Abel created this whole new R&B wave everyone is on now."[87] Nate Albert, an A&R executive at Republic Records told Vulture in 2015, "I knew Abel was going to be big after he put out House of Balloons. It sounded like he was merging goth, dark-wave, and R&B with a punk-rock sensibility. It sounded like something completely new."[88] Regarding his anonymity at the time of the mixtape's release, the Weeknd told GQ in 2021, "I felt like it was the most unbiased reaction you can get to the music, because you couldn’t put a face to it. Especially R&B, which is a genre that is heavily influenced by how the artist looks."[89]

Track listing

House of Balloons was originally set to come out with 14 tracks. The Weeknd told Complex in 2013 that "Crew Love", "Shot for Me" and "The Ride" from Canadian rapper Drake's second studio album were supposed to be on the mixtape.[90]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."High for This"4:07
2."What You Need"
  • Tesfaye
  • Jeremy Rose
  • Rose
  • The Weeknd
3:26
3."House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls"6:47
4."The Morning"
  • Tesfaye
  • McKinney
  • Montagnese
  • Doc McKinney
  • Illangelo
5:15
5."Wicked Games"
  • Tesfaye
  • McKinney
  • Montagnese
  • Rainer Millar Blanchaer
  • Doc McKinney
  • Illangelo
5:25
6."The Party & The After Party"
  • Rose
  • The Weeknd
  • Blanchaer
7:39
7."Coming Down"
  • Tesfaye
  • McKinney
  • Montagnese
  • Doc McKinney
  • Illangelo
4:55
8."Loft Music"
  • Tesfaye
  • Rose
  • Legrand
  • Scally
  • Rose
  • The Weeknd
6:04
9."The Knowing"
  • Doc McKinney
  • Illangelo
5:41
Total length:49:19
2012 reissue bonus track[91][92]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
10."Twenty Eight"
  • Tesfaye
  • McKinney
  • Montagnese
  • McKinney
  • Illangelo
4:18
Total length:53:37

Sample credits

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal, which are in turn adapted from the liner notes of Trilogy.[93]

  • Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) – lead vocals, songwriting/composition, additional production (all tracks)
  • Carlo Montagnese (Illangelo) – mixing (all tracks), production (tracks 3–5, 7, 9 & 10), songwriting/composition (tracks 3–5, 7, 9 & 10), recording engineer (tracks 3–10),
  • Martin McKinney (Doc McKinney) – production (tracks 3–5, 7, 9 & 10), songwriting/composition (tracks 3–5, 7 9 & 10) recording engineer (tracks 3–10)
  • Henry Walter (Cirkut) − production, songwriting, recording engineer (track 1)
  • Jeremy Rose (Zodiac) − production (tracks 2, 6 & 8), songwriting (tracks 2, 4, 6 & 8), recording engineer (track 2)
  • Matthew Acton − assistant recording engineer (tracks 3, 4, 6–9)
  • William Brock − guitar (track 4)
  • Rainer Millar Blanchaer − songwriting (tracks 5 & 6), production (track 6)
  • Adrian Eccleston – guitar (track 9)
  • Shin Kamiyama – assistant recording engineer (track 10)

Charts

Chart performance for House of Balloons
Chart (2015–2023)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[94]40
US Billboard 200[95]113
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[96]10
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[97]37
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[98]4

Certifications

RegionCertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[99]Platinum80,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[100]Gold100,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormatEditionLabel
VariousMarch 21, 20119-track free of chargeXO
August 14, 201510-track remastered and remixed
February 1, 2016Cassette
March 21, 2021
  • Digital download
  • streaming
Original 9-track
February 11, 2022LPOriginal 9-track with alternative cover
Original 9-track

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  58. ^ Fisher, Tyler (March 25, 2011). "The Weeknd – House of Balloons". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  59. ^ Ewing, Tom (March 24, 2011). "The Weeknd's VIP Area Exposé Was Made for the Indie Crowd". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 1, 2013. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  60. ^ "The Best Albums of 2011". Metacritic. December 30, 2011. Archived from the original on May 13, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  61. ^ "The ADM Poll Of Polls 2011". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  62. ^ "The 25 Best Albums of 2011". Complex. December 19, 2011. Archived from the original on December 27, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
  63. ^ "Stereogum's Top 50 Albums of 2011". Pitchfork. December 5, 2011. Archived from the original on June 13, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  64. ^ "Best albums of 2011". The Guardian. December 7, 2011. Archived from the original on June 18, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
  65. ^ "The best music of 2011". The A.V. Club. December 6, 2011. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
  66. ^ "SPIN's 50 Best Albums of 2011". Spin. December 12, 2011. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
  67. ^ "Staff Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2011". Pitchfork. December 15, 2011. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  68. ^ "2011 Music Critic Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. January 7, 2012. Archived from the original on May 1, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  69. ^ "2011 Polaris Music Prize Long List announced" Archived October 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. aux.tv, June 16, 2011.
  70. ^ "The Top 100 Tracks of 2011". Pitchfork. December 12, 2011. Archived from the original on November 16, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
  71. ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  72. ^ "How The Weeknd's "House Of Balloons" Changed Mainstream Music". Odyssey. March 21, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  73. ^ "The Weeknd's 'The Party & the After Party' Paved the Way for our Genre-less Future". Rolling Stone. March 22, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  74. ^ "'Caine & Abel: Why 'House of Balloons' Was the Weeknd at His Purest". Complex. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  75. ^ "The Weeknd's House of Balloons Remains Pop's Great Mysterious Entrance". Pitchfork. March 21, 2016. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  76. ^ "The Weeknd's 'House Of Balloons' Soundtracked The Doom Generation". UPROXX. March 21, 2021. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  77. ^ "House Of Balloons Turns 10". Stereogum. March 19, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  78. ^ "How House of Balloons Changed R&B". The Fader. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  79. ^ "House of Balloons, 10 Years Later". Medium. February 18, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  80. ^ "This Is Why The Weeknd's Re-Release of House of Balloons Is So Major". BeatRoute. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  81. ^ "On the Weeknd, House of Balloons, and Its Massive Influence". Medium. March 21, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  82. ^ "The Weeknd's "House Of Balloons" Changed RnB & Pop Culture". HotNewHipHop. March 21, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  83. ^ "'House of Balloons' Turns 10: How the Weeknd Beat the Odds and Turned R&B on Its Head". Exclaim!. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  84. ^ "12 Great Songs That Wouldn't Exist Without the Weeknd". Rolling Stone. October 21, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  85. ^ Eells, Josh (October 21, 2015). "Sex, Drugs and R&B: Inside The Weeknd's Dark Twisted Fantasy". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
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  87. ^ "The Weeknd Opens Up About His Past, Turning 30 and Getting Vulnerable on 'After Hours'". Variety. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  88. ^ "How the Weeknd Went From Underground Anonymity to Superstar in 5 Years, According to His Collaborators". Vulture. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
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  99. ^ "Canadian album certifications – The Weeknd – House of Balloons". Music Canada. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  100. ^ "British album certifications – The Weeknd – House of Balloons". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 21, 2022.

Artist(s)

Veröffentlichungen von The Weeknd die im OTRS erhältlich sind/waren:

After Hours ¦ Starboy ¦ House Of Balloons ¦ Beauty Behind The Madness ¦ Echoes Of Silence ¦ Thursday ¦ Kiss Land ¦ The Highlights ¦ Take My Breath ¦ Dawn FM

The Weeknd auf Wikipedia (oder andere Quellen):

Abel Tesfaye (als The Weeknd, 2021)

Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (* 16. Februar 1990 in Toronto; auch bekannt unter seinem Künstlernamen The Weeknd) ist ein kanadischer R&B-Sänger, Songwriter und Schauspieler mit Einflüssen aus der elektronischen Musik.[1]

Jugend und Privatleben

Tesfaye ist äthiopischer Abstammung und wurde in Scarborough, dem östlichsten Bezirk Torontos, geboren.[2] Er wuchs nach eigenen Angaben verschiedene musikalische Genres hörend auf, unter anderem Soul, Hip-Hop, Funk, Indie-Rock und Post-Punk. Da seine Mutter alleinerziehend und berufstätig war, zog ihn seine Großmutter bis zum Alter von fünf Jahren auf. Er spricht Amharisch, die äthiopische Amtssprache – es war die erste Sprache, die er erlernte.[3]

Nachdem er im Alter von 17 Jahren die High School abgebrochen hatte, kam er auf seinen Künstlernamen: „an einem Wochenende weggelaufen und nie wieder nach Hause gekommen“ („left one weekend and never came home.“). Da jedoch eine kanadische Band bereits den Namen The Weekend trug, modifizierte er die Schreibweise mit einem Disemvoweling (The Weeknd).[3]

The Weeknd war zeitweise mit dem US-amerikanischen Model Bella Hadid und mit der Sängerin und Schauspielerin Selena Gomez liiert.[4]

Im Mai 2023 gab Tesfaye bekannt, seinen bisherigen Künstlernamen nicht länger verwenden zu wollen und stattdessen unter seinem richtigen Namen Abel Tesfaye aufzutreten.[5]

Karriere

Im Jahr 2011 gründete Tesfaye zusammen mit Lamar Taylor, Wassim Slaiby und Amir Esmailian, die er im selben Jahr kennenlernte, das Musiklabel XO Records (Abk.: XO). Tesfaye bekam Anfragen von Major-Labels, die ihn unter Vertrag nehmen wollten, doch er lehnte ab.[6] Um doch mit Musikern anderer Plattenfirmen zusammenarbeiten zu können, ging XO ein Joint Venture mit Republic Records ein.[7] Mit Stand Januar 2021 managt XO Records unter anderem die Musiker French Montana, Doja Cat, Bebe Rexha, Ty Dolla $ign und M.I.A.[6] Bekannt wurde er durch seine Zusammenarbeit mit dem ebenfalls aus Toronto stammenden Rapper Drake und seinen Veröffentlichungen auf YouTube. Am 21. März 2011 veröffentlichte er das Mixtape House of Balloons auf seiner Website zum kostenlosen Download. Am 18. August 2011 erschien das Mixtape Thursday, und am 21. Dezember folgte das dritte Mixtape mit dem Titel Echoes of Silence. Im Jahre 2012 begann Tesfaye seine erste Tour in den USA, mit einer Aufführung beim Coachella-Festival. Er erweiterte seine Tour auch nach Europa und war auch Gast beim Wireless Festival in London. Im September 2012 unterzeichnete Tesfaye mit Republic Records in einem Joint Venture mit seinem eigenen Imprint XO. Am 13. November 2012 erschien die Kompilation Trilogy, welche die drei ersten Mixtapes und einige neue Lieder enthält.

Am 16. Mai 2013 feierte Tesfaye die Premiere des Titeltracks seines ersten Studioalbums Kiss Land. Das Album wurde später durch die Singles Belong to the World und Live For mit Drake promotet. Sein Debütalbum Kiss Land erschien am 10. September 2013. In den USA wurden in der ersten Woche 96.000 Exemplare verkauft, und das Album platzierte sich auf Platz 2 der Billboard 200.[8] Später wurde bestätigt, dass es sich in den Vereinigten Staaten über 273.000 Mal verkauft hatte und von den Musikkritikern allgemein positiv bewertet wurde.

2014 ging Tesfaye auf Tour mit dem Titel King of the Fall. Die Tour fand im September und Oktober quer durch die Vereinigten Staaten statt. Kurz darauf veröffentlichte Tesfaye seine Single Often, die zu Spekulationen führte, dass es die erste Single aus seinem zweiten Studioalbum war. Im selben Jahr arbeitete er auch mit Ariana Grande an einem Duett namens Love Me Harder zusammen, das sich auf Platz sieben der Billboard Hot 100 platzierte. Tage danach veröffentlichte er Earned It, eine Single von Fifty Shades of Grey (2015). Der Song platzierte sich auf Platz 3 der Billboard Hot 100.

The Weeknd, 2018

Im November 2019 veröffentlichte Tesfaye die Single Blinding Lights, die in einem Werbespot für Mercedes-Benz verwendet wurde und mit der er im Januar 2020 in Deutschland zum ersten Mal auf Platz eins der Singlecharts aufstieg. Im selben Jahr wurde er in sechs Kategorien für die MTV Video Music Awards 2020 nominiert und gewann davon in den Kategorien „Video of the Year“ und „Best R&B“. Als The Recording Academy The Weeknd trotz dessen Album After Hours nicht für die Grammy Awards 2021 nominierten,[9] teilte The Weeknd über Social Media mit, dass die Academy, deren Mitglieder Anonymität genießen, „korrupt bleibe“.[10] Später ergänzte er, dass ihm seine vorherigen Grammy-Auszeichnungen nichts mehr bedeuten würden.[6]

Am 7. Februar 2021 trat The Weeknd als Topact der Halbzeitshow des Super Bowl LV auf, dem Endspiel der Saison 2020 der NFL. Er zahlte die Kosten des Auftritts von 7 Millionen US-Dollar selbst und bekam keine Gage. Nach dem Super Bowl kehrten seine bekanntesten Lieder wieder in die Charts zurück oder stiegen nach oben, darunter auch The Hills und Blinding Lights. Bei Spotify übertraf er eine neue Bestmarke mit 75 Millionen Hörern in einem Monat, was vor ihm nur vier Künstler geschafft hatten.[6]

Für den 7. Januar 2022 veröffentlichte Tesfaye sein neues Album Dawn FM.[11][12]

Einflüsse

Tesfaye nannte Michael Jackson,[13] R. Kelly,[14] Prince,[14] David Bowie,[15] Siouxsie and the Banshees,[16] Cocteau Twins,[16] Daft Punk,[17] Eminem,[17] Wu-Tang Clan,[18] Beach House,[19] Aaliyah,[19] 50 Cent,[18] und Bill Withers[18] als persönliche Einflüsse.

Engagement

Tesfaye schloss zunächst einen Werbevertrag mit H&M ab, jedoch beendete er im Januar 2018 seine Zusammenarbeit mit dem Modekonzern, nachdem Rassismusvorwürfe gegen diesen erhoben wurden.[20][21]

Nach Angaben des Branchenblatts Variety spendete der Grammy-Preisträger allein im Jahr 2020 rund 1,8 Millionen Euro für humanitäre Zwecke – unter anderem für die COVID-19-Bekämpfung in seinem Heimatbezirk Scarborough, für die „Black-Lives Matter“-Bewegung und die Opfer der Explosion in Beirut.[22]

Diskografie

Studioalben

JahrTitel
Musiklabel
Höchstplatzierung, Gesamtwochen, AuszeichnungChartplatzierungenChartplatzierungenTemplate:Charttabelle/Wartung/ohne Quellen
(Jahr, Titel, Musiklabel, Plat­zie­rungen, Wo­chen, Aus­zeich­nungen, Anmer­kungen)
Anmerkungen
 DE AT CH UK US R&B CA
2013Kiss Land
Republic Records • XO
DE93
(1 Wo.)DE
CH62
(1 Wo.)CH
UK12
Silber
Silber

(2 Wo.)UK
US2
Gold
Gold

(11 Wo.)US
R&B1
(39 Wo.)R&B
CA
Platin
Platin
CA
Erstveröffentlichung: 6. September 2013
Verkäufe: + 640.000
2015Beauty Behind the Madness
Republic Records • XO
DE7
Gold
Gold

(22 Wo.)DE
AT7
Gold
Gold

(4 Wo.)AT
CH4
(22 Wo.)CH
UK1
Doppelplatin
×2
Doppelplatin

(103 Wo.)UK
US1
Sechsfachplatin
×6
Sechsfachplatin

(295 Wo.)US
R&B1
(166 Wo.)R&B
CA1
Siebenfachplatin
×7
Siebenfachplatin

(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2015CA
Erstveröffentlichung: 28. August 2015
Verkäufe: + 7.767.500
2016Starboy
Republic Records • XO
DE10
Gold
Gold

(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2016DE
AT10⁠a
Platin
Platin

(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2016AT
CH5
(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2016CH
UK5
Doppelplatin
×2
Doppelplatin

(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2016UK
US1
Vierfachplatin
×4
Vierfachplatin

(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2016US
R&B1
(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2016R&B
CA1
Siebenfachplatin
×7
Siebenfachplatin

(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2016CA
Erstveröffentlichung: 25. November 2016
Verkäufe: + 6.270.000
2020After Hours
Republic Records • XO
DE5
Gold
Gold

(112 Wo.)DE
AT1
Gold
Gold

(74 Wo.)AT
CH1
(106 Wo.)CH
UK1
Platin
Platin

(121 Wo.)UK
US1
Dreifachplatin
×3
Dreifachplatin

(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2020US
R&B1
(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2020R&B
CA1
Fünffachplatin
×5
Fünffachplatin

(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2020CA
Erstveröffentlichung: 20. März 2020
Verkäufe: + 4.960.000
2022Dawn FM
Republic Records • XO
DE5
(26 Wo.)DE
AT2
(11 Wo.)AT
CH1
(24 Wo.)CH
UK1
Gold
Gold

(51 Wo.)UK
US2
Platin
Platin

(69 Wo.)US
R&B1
(54 Wo.)R&B
CA1
Platin
Platin

(… Wo.)Template:Charttabelle/Wartung/vorläufig/2022CA
Erstveröffentlichung: 7. Januar 2022
Verkäufe: + 1.412.500
a 
Starboy erreichte die Höchstplatzierung in den österreichischen Charts erst im März 2023. Zum Veröffentlichungszeitpunkt erreichte das Album Rang 23.

Filmografie

Auszeichnungen

Literatur

  • Jens Balzer: The Weeknd: Nach dem Sex soll nicht nur die Zigarette brennen. Der Popstar The Weeknd hat ein Album gemacht für eine besondere Dreiviertelstunde im Leben. In: Die Zeit. Nr. 4, 20. Januar 2022, S. 50 (zeit.de – Rezension).

Weblinks

Commons: The Weeknd – Sammlung von Bildern

Einzelnachweise

  1. Josh Eells: Sex, Drugs and R&B: Inside the Weeknd’s Dark Twisted Fantasy. In: Rolling Stone. 21. Oktober 2015, abgerufen am 25. Januar 2022.
  2. Daily Disc: The Weeknd’s ‘Echoes Of Silence’. In: torontostandard.com. 23. Dezember 2011, abgerufen am 11. April 2015.
  3. a b Brenna Ehrlich: The Weeknd Reveals How He Got His Name… And Where The ‘E’ Went. In: MTV. 13. September 2013, abgerufen am 11. April 2015.
  4. Bella Hadid: Sie hat sich von The Weeknd getrennt. In: Gala. 6. August 2019, abgerufen am 27. September 2019.
  5. Superstar aus Kanada: The Weeknd ist nicht mehr. In: spiegel.de. 16. Mai 2023, abgerufen am 16. Mai 2023.
  6. a b c d Katie Bain: The Weeknd on the Crew That Boosted Him From ‘Basically Homeless’ to the Super Bowl. In: billboard.com. 28. Januar 2021, abgerufen am 10. Februar 2021 (englisch).
  7. Andrew Hampp: The Weeknd & Reps Talk Clearing Samples, Touring For ‘Trilogy’ Release. The Weeknd's Republic debut repackages his breakout mixtapes as one release. Will it work? In: billboard.com. 12. November 2012, abgerufen am 10. Februar 2021 (englisch).
  8. Keith Caulfield: Keith Urban Edges the Weeknd for No. 1 Debut on Billboard 200. In: billboard.com. 18. September 2013, abgerufen am 11. April 2015.
  9. Jem Aswad: The Weeknd Shockingly Shut Out of Grammy Nominations, and Other Snubs and Surprises. In: Variety. 24. November 2020, abgerufen am 10. Februar 2021 (amerikanisches Englisch).
  10. Rania Aniftos: The Weeknd Calls Out Recording Academy After Nominations Snub: 'The Grammys Remain Corrupt'. In: billboard.com. 24. November 2020, abgerufen am 10. Februar 2021 (englisch).
  11. The Weeknd. In: Twitter. Abgerufen am 6. Januar 2022.
  12. The Weeknd veröffentlicht sein fünftes Studioalbum “Dawn FM”. In: universal-music.de. Universal Music, 7. Januar 2022, abgerufen am 7. Januar 2022.
  13. Josh Ellis: Sex, Drugs and R&B: Inside the Weeknd’s Dark Twisted Fantasy. In: Rollingstone.com. 25. Oktober 2015, abgerufen am 21. Juli 2021 (englisch): „Jackson was even more important to his family than to most, because of their East African roots. ‘People forget — We Are the World is for Ethiopia,’ he says. ‘At home, if it wasn’t Ethiopian music, it was Michael. He was our icon.’“
  14. a b Damien Scott: The Weeknd: Kiss And Tell. In: Complex.com. 13. Juli 2013, abgerufen am 21. Juli 2021: „I’m a huge fan of R. Kelly’s. He’s a musical genius […] that’s me paying homage to R. Kelly, and even Prince to a certain extent.“
  15. Ryna Reed: The Weeknd Talks David Bowie, Prince Influences on New Album. In: Rollingstone.com. 2. November 2016, abgerufen am 21. Juli 2021: „I just love Bowie; I think he’s the ultimate inventor.“
  16. a b Gary Trust: The Weeknd on Being the First Artist to Top These 5 Charts At Once: ‘It Feels Like a Huge Blessing’ (Exclusive) In: Billboard.com, 1. April 2020. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2021. „I've always had an admiration for the era before I was born. You can hear it as far back as my first mixtape that the ’80s – Siouxsie and the Banshees, Cocteau Twins – play such a huge role in my sound.“ 
  17. a b The Weeknd Says Eminem Destroyed ‘The Hills’ Remix and Jay Z on ‘Renegade’. In: Southpawer. 6. November 2016, abgerufen am 21. Juli 2021: „I really respect people like Eminem and Daft Punk and people who let the music do the speaking.“
  18. a b c Sasha Frere-Jones: The Weeknd Opens Up About Paparazzi & Overcoming Stage Fright In Rare Interview. In: Billboard.com. 12. Dezember 2016;: „The vibe on Starboy comes from that hip-hop culture of braggadocio, from Wu-Tang and 50 Cent, the kind of music I listened to as a kid […] For me, Bill Withers is at least top five among songwriters.“
  19. a b Marc Hogan: The Weeknd Imbues ‘Enemy’. In: Spin. 26. Oktober 2012, abgerufen am 21. Juli 2021: „He has tended to draw from rock critic-approved sources, though generally ones that already share elements of his sexual menace: Beach House and Siouxsie and the Banshees, as well as more predictable R&B influence Aaliyah.“
  20. H&M entschuldigt sich nach Rassismusvorwürfen. Kanadischer Sänger The Weeknd beendet Zusammenarbeit mit Modefirma. (Nicht mehr online verfügbar.) In: Deutschlandfunk Kultur. 9. Januar 2018, archiviert vom Original am 10. Januar 2018; abgerufen am 26. Januar 2022.
  21. Paul Schwenn: Umstrittene Werbung: Rassismus ist nicht das einzige Problem bei H&M. In: tagesspiegel.de. 11. Januar 2018, abgerufen am 11. Januar 2018.
  22. The Weeknd spendet Millionen für Tigray. In: zeit.de. 6. April 2021, abgerufen am 28. Juli 2021 (dpa-infocom, dpa:210406-99-96986/3).

Same album, but different version(s)...