The Weeknd — born Abel Tesfaye — is a Canadian singer whose dark, cinematic R&B reshaped modern pop. Rising from anonymous online mixtapes in Toronto to headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, he created ‘Blinding Lights’, the most-streamed song in Spotify history, and built one of the most valuable catalogues of his generation.
| Full Name | Abel Makkonen Tesfaye |
| Born | 16 February 1990, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Age | 36 (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, actor |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Known For | Blinding Lights, Starboy, Can’t Feel My Face, After Hours |
| Net Worth (est.) | Around $300 million |
Early Life in Toronto
Tesfaye was born in Toronto and raised in Scarborough by his mother and grandmother after his parents, Ethiopian immigrants, separated. He grew up speaking Amharic, attended West Hill Collegiate Institute and Birchmount Park, and dropped out of school — later explaining that he left home one weekend and never returned, the origin of his stage name (spelled without the final ‘e’ to avoid a clash with a Canadian band called The Weekend).
Breakthrough: Mixtapes to Beauty Behind the Madness
In 2010–2011 Tesfaye anonymously uploaded songs to YouTube and released three free mixtapes — House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence — that made him a critical sensation and caught Drake’s attention. Signed to Republic and launching his XO imprint, he broke into the mainstream with Beauty Behind the Madness (2015): ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ and ‘The Hills’ topped the Billboard Hot 100, and the album won two Grammys. Starboy (2016) added another chart-topping title track with Daft Punk.
After Hours, Blinding Lights and the Super Bowl
After Hours (2020) produced ‘Blinding Lights’, a synth-pop phenomenon that spent a record-breaking run in the Billboard top 10 and became the most-streamed song in Spotify history, passing four billion streams. In February 2021 Tesfaye headlined the Super Bowl LV halftime show — reportedly spending millions of his own money on the production. Dawn FM (2022) and Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025) completed an album trilogy, and his After Hours Til Dawn stadium tour became one of the highest-grossing tours by a solo artist.
The Weeknd Net Worth
Tesfaye’s net worth is commonly estimated at around $300 million, built on album and streaming royalties from billions of plays, stadium touring, his XO label and brand, and film and television work including co-creating HBO’s The Idol. Published figures are estimates compiled from public earnings data.
Personal Life
Tesfaye is known to be private, rarely discussing relationships in depth. He is a major donor to humanitarian causes, including food-security programmes in Ethiopia and global hunger relief through his work as a UN World Food Programme Goodwill Ambassador, a role he took in 2021.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is The Weeknd?
He was born on 16 February 1990, making him 36 years old in 2026.
What is The Weeknd’s real name?
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, born and raised in Toronto, Canada.
What is The Weeknd’s net worth?
Commonly estimated at around $300 million from music, touring and business ventures — an estimate, not an official figure.
What is the most-streamed song by The Weeknd?
‘Blinding Lights’, the most-streamed song in Spotify history with over four billion streams.
Related Biographies
Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa — more in our Musicians & Singers collection.
Net worth and salary figures are estimates based on publicly available sources and may change over time.
