Artist of the Week: The Weeknd

The Weeknd consists of Abel Tesfaye, a 22-year-old from Toronto, Canada. Twenty-two sounds young, but he’s already been nominated for several music awards and was even described as the “Songbird of his Generation” by John Norris, an MTV reporter. Tesfaye’s lyrics center around the frustrations and loneliness that surround party life and as a warning, he can get a little graphic.

I first heard The Weeknd through the song “What You Need” on a free album, titled House of Balloons last year. Though some artists refuse to release free music, Tesfaye’s method worked tremendously well for him, and was essentially the reason he developed a large fanbase. Rapper Drake, a fellow Toronto native has been a helping hand in spreading Tesfaye’s music. The two have collaborated on projects as well.

Songs to try are “Wicked Games,” “What You Need,” “Montreal,” “Next” and “The Zone.” “High for This” has been covered (amazingly so) by British singer Ellie Goulding. Another good one is “D.D.,” a reinterpretation of Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana.” As I said, his originals can be a bit explicit, though still beautiful.

Get the free mix tapes online before his new release, Trilogy is available for purchase on Nov. 5. The Weeknd toured at Coachella Music Festival this past summer and will play in New York City on Oct. 26 and 27.