The Weeknd (born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye; February 16, 1990) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer. The Weeknd initially gained recognition after anonymously uploading several songs to YouTube in late 2010. This allowed him to release his debut mixtape, House of Balloons, in early 2011. He released two further independent projects later that year, Thursday and Echoes of Silence, before signing to Republic Records in September 2012.
The Weeknd released his second album, Beauty Behind the Madness, in 2015, breaking chart records in the process. The album oversaw his first Grammy Award win for Best Urban Contemporary Album, as well as "Earned It" winning Best R&B Performance. He won both awards at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony in 2016.
The Weeknd released his second album, Beauty Behind the Madness, in 2015, breaking chart records in the process. The album oversaw his first Grammy Award win for Best Urban Contemporary Album, as well as "Earned It" winning Best R&B Performance. He won both awards at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony in 2016.