Toronto artist Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, is set to star in a new HBO drama series called The Idol and with that news comes word that he might be ready to take a hiatus from his chart-topping music career.
The Idol will premiere on June 4 on HBA and Crave here in Toronto. The show is co-created by Sam Levinson (HBO’s Euphoria), Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, and Reza Fahim. It stars Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp. The series will premiere at this year’s Festival de Cannes.
The plot line of the show is described in a press release: “After a nervous breakdown derailed Jocelyn’s (Lily-Rose Depp) last tour, she’s determined to claim her rightful status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America. Her passions are reignited by Tedros (Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye), a nightclub impresario with a sordid past.”
The Weeknd is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer known for his unique blend of R&B, pop, and electronic music. Born as Abel Tesfaye in Toronto in 1990, The Weeknd first gained attention in 2009 when he anonymously uploaded several songs to YouTube. He released his debut mixtape, “House of Balloons,” in 2011, which was met with critical acclaim and helped him gain a large following. Since then, The Weeknd has released several successful albums, including “Beauty Behind the Madness,” “Starboy,” and “After Hours,” which features hit singles like “Can’t Feel My Face,” “Starboy,” and “Blinding Lights.”
He has won numerous awards and accolades, including three Grammy Awards, and is considered one of the most successful and innovative recording artists of his generation.
In a new interview published in Complex magazine, Tesfaye talked about the future and what it might mean to his incredible career as The Weeknd.
“It’s getting to a place and a time where I’m getting ready to close the Weeknd chapter,” he said. “I’ll still make music, maybe as Abel, maybe as The Weekend. But I still want to kill The Weeknd. And I will.”
He said, the album he is currently working on might be his last album as The Weeknd.
“This is something that I have to do. As The Weeknd, I’ve said everything I can say,” he told Complex.
