The Weeknd
The Weeknd is dropping a new album this week. But how much do you know about the Weeknd? Hopefully, we can enlighten you a bit before the highly anticipated album drops.
Most people didn’t know about the Weeknd, until his number 1 smash hit “Blinding lights”. It was released to the world on November 29 2019, it was the second single from the album After Hours, which was released in 2020.
Believe it or not, totally up to you, but the Weeknd, has released over 13 albums. These are a combination of 5 Studio albums, not counting the new release dropping this week. 3 Compilation albums, 3 Mixtapes and 2 extended plays.
Before the hit “Blinding Lights” the Weekend had another hit, Starboy, released in 2016. Starboy features French duo Daft Punk. Starboy was the Weeknds, third chart-topper. You might know Daft Punk from their catchy hit “One More Time” from back in the year 2000.
Who is the Weeknd?
The Weeknd is, drum roll please, Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, I feel like throwing in “the Third” but I don’t believe he is, it just sounds catchy. Obviously, he is professionally known as the Weeknd, and is from Canada. With the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen and Justin Bieber.
As with many artists of this era, the Weeknd first started releasing music via Youtube in 2009. Two years later he Co-founded his own record label and released his 3 mixtapes. He has played a few genres, starting in R&B, then moving to Dark Wave, finally drifting to New Wave and Dream Pop.
The Weeknd is regarded as an influential figure in pop music and has performed at the NFL Super Bowl. He is currently one of the best-selling musical artists, selling over 75 million records worldwide. Spotify lists him as being one of the most listened to artists and is one of the most-streamed of all time.
The Weeknd, draws from personal life experiences to create his music. He also states in an interview with Tom Lamont from the Guardian back in 2016, that drugs were a crutch for him.
“When I had nothing to do but make music, it was very heavy. Drugs were a crutch for me. There were songs on my first record that were seven minutes long, rambling – whatever thoughts I was having when I was under the influence at the time. I can’t see myself doing that now.”
The Weeknd
The Weeknd also draws on relationships for inspiration. he was very close to his mother. His parents were Ethiopian immigrants, who separated not long after his birth. He was close to his mother, but as every son probably does, he hurt his mother with adolescent behaviour. During his late teenage years, he had some issues with the law. All these experiences helped develop the artist he is today. He has since repaired his relationship with his mum.
Music Genres explained
Darkwave (also typeset as darkwave) is a music genre that emerged from the new wave and post-punk movement of the late 1970s. Darkwave compositions are largely based on minor key tonality and introspective lyrics and have been perceived as being dark, romantic and bleak, with an undertone of sorrow. The genre embraces a range of styles including cold wave, ethereal wave, gothic rock, neoclassical darkwave and neofolk.
New wave is a broad music genre that encompasses numerous pop-oriented styles from the late 1970s and the 1980s. It was originally used as a catch-all for the music that emerged after punk rock, including punk itself, but maybe viewed retrospectively as a more accessible counterpart of post-punk. Although the new wave shared punk’s DIY philosophy, the artists were more influenced by the lighter strains of 1960s pop while being opposed to the generally abrasive and political bents of punk rock and what was considered to be creatively stagnant “corporate” rock.
Dream pop (also typeset as dream pop) is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such as reverb, echo, tremolo and chorus. It often overlaps with the related genre of shoegaze, and the two genre terms have at times been used interchangeably.[citation needed]
The genre came into prominence in the 1980s through the work of Cocteau Twins, A.R. Kane, and their contemporaries. Groups such as My Bloody Valentine, Galaxie 500, Lush, and Mazzy Star released significant albums in the style. It saw renewed popularity among millennial listeners following the late-’00s success of Beach House.
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