Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow honoured Scarborough-born R&B singer The Weeknd, aka Abel Tesfaye, with the Key to the City on Saturday ahead of his highly anticipated concerts at the Rogers Centre (the first of which took place on Sunday). To mark the kickoff of the Toronto leg of his tour, Chow officially proclaimed July 26–27, 2025, as “Weeknd Weekend” in Toronto.
In a statement, Chow said Tesfaye “represents the best of our city.”
“From Scarborough to the global stage, he has reshaped modern music while using his platform to support health and humanitarian causes at home and around the world. I am proud to honour one of our city’s greatest artists with a Key to the City to celebrate his contributions to music, society and our culture,” she added.
The Weeknd is one of the most-streamed artists in the world, and his international success is rooted in his early experiences in Toronto. He started uploading songs online in 2010, producing early mixtape standouts like House of Balloons, which helped define the alternative R&B genre.
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In 2021, he became the first Canadian artist to solo-headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
The Blinding Lights singer has also made huge philanthropic contributions to the city, including raising and donating $500,000 to the Scarborough Health Network during the COVID-19 pandemic and supporting the University of Toronto’s Ethiopian Studies program. He’s also the co-founder of HXOUSE, a Toronto-based not-for-profit innovation hub that empowers emerging creatives and entrepreneurs, making this latest recognition a full-circle moment.
“I’m deeply hono[u]red to receive the Key to the City. It feels good to be home. Toronto is where I found my voice, and I’m committed to helping the next generation find theirs,” Tesfaye said in a statement. “That’s why I’m proud to support the Boys & Girls Club of West Scarborough and my former high school, Birchmount Park, providing youth with the means to unlock their full potential.”
The Weeknd performed to a sold-out crowd on Sunday and will return for three more concerts at the Rogers Centre on July 28 and Aug 7–8 as part of his “After Hours Til Dawn” tour, featuring Kaytranada and Mike Dean.
