Weeknd finally faces music after shocking the audience with his ever-evolving face.
Fans have questioned the singer’s appearance for more than a year, as he was seen wearing variations of a bloody and crushed appearance for his “After Hours” album, long before the much-hyped 2021 Super Bowl break.
But the singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, warned from the start that he is a person he created for his fourth studio album.
“There is also a vision and a very engaged character and I am exploring another part of myself that my fans have never seen,” he revealed in an interview for CR Fashion Book in March 2020. Just fulfilling The 30-year-old – his birthday is February 16 – said the entire album served as “an introduction to the next chapter in my life.”
However, in the hours leading up to his big game day show – The Weeknd did break it down: “The significance of the whole headband is reflected in the absurd culture of Hollywood celebrity and people who manipulate themselves for superficial reasons. to please and be validated “, he explained for Variety. “Everything is a progression and we follow the character’s story reaching increased levels of danger and absurdity as his story continues.”
The facial saga began in the video “Heartless”, released in December 2019, because his red character in a suit has a wild night in Las Vegas. But things take a dark turn in “Blinding Lights”, his second single, which returns to where “Heartless” remained. It is also the first time he has debuted with a slanderous face that has worried fans.
But those who thought that the terrible art of The Weeknd would be a unique statement turned out to be completely wrong. Here is a timeline of what The Weeknd looks like.
January 2020: video “Dazzling lights”
The video “Blinding Lights”, which debuted in January, marked the first of many opportunities for shock and fear for the singer.
Wearing what would become his new signed uniform – a red suit over a black button-down shirt – his face appears bloody after a fall and an altercation staged in the video. He replicated the look of a show on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” later in January.
At the time, fans had no idea about this macabre person. But the singer later explained to Esquire the dark significance of the song in August: “Blinding Lights” [is about] how you want to see someone at night, and how you’re drunk, how you drive to that person and you’re just blinded by headlights. But nothing can stop you from trying to go to that person, because you are so alone. I never want to promote drunk driving, but that’s the dark tone. “
March 2020: “After Hours”, “SNL” movie and “In Your Eyes” video
Finally, The Weeknd explained that he was a recurring character for all the videos for “After Hours”, including the short film.
“This character has a very bad night – all these videos take place in one night – and you can come up with your own [sic] interpretation of what it is, “he told Variety.
“[In the ‘After Hours’ short film,] we have this guy going through a complete malfunction, which seems to be a possession – I’m being pulled by an invisible force through the subway. Is it possessed or is it just broken? ”
While The Weeknd released their new song “Scared To Live” on “Saturday Night Live”, it was the first time fans caught her new “look” – a bloody face with a bandage over her nose – in the flesh and bones. But the look of the scratch on his head, seen while singing “Dazzling Lights”, was exclusively for his musical performances. he chose to give up gore while acting in sketches.
However, he trained during the rehearsals for “SNL”. “I forget I have it sometimes,” he said of his makeup.
He followed his “SNL” concert with a video for “In Your Eyes” (with Kenny G), which contained a warning at the beginning, noting graphic material.
April 2020: “Until I Bleed” video
The weekend continued to live in the blood-stained character, while keeping his disturbing character in another music video, wearing the same red suit, and his cuts now wearing terrible bruises – all obtained through cunning makeup.
August 2020: MTV Video Music Awards
During a performance at the top of the Hudson Yards, he continued with the bloody aesthetic in the pre-recorded VMA segment. He also wore the bloody mug as he headed to rehearsals in New York, frightening fans on the sidewalk as he signed autographs.
November 2020: American Music Awards
By the time the AMAs appeared, The Weeknd had fully entered the mummy, adapting its mask with bandages and bruises over its blood, while accepting several awards during its show.
The following week, a set of events began with Vevo, including live performances of “Faith”, “In Your Eyes” and “Alone Again” – all of which saw blood return.
January 2021: video “Save your tears”
New year, new face? It seems that the blood was just the beginning for The Weeknd, which opted for a “plastic surgery” face for its “Save the Tears” video. “But then you saw me, I caught you by surprise,” he sang, shocking fans with what appeared to be a thinner nose, cheek implants, full lips and surgical scars.
While the look was achieved through prostheses or CGI, he previously worked with the Prosthetic Renaissance makeup effects studio, which posted about transformation on social media.
Fans speculated that the bored face was a digging for his ex, 24-year-old Bella Hadid, while others assumed it was a metaphor for being clogged at the Grammy Awards, for which he received no nominations this year. .
But shortly after the video toured social media, confusing fans in the process, The Weeknd reminded us of his usual face in a Super Bowl commercial.
February 2021: Back to normal?
For The Weeknd, it’s about “The Character.”
While promoting the Super Bowl in commercials, the singer showed his real face and left the appearance that fans could not help but talk about.
He even advised his fans “that being attractive isn’t important to me, but it’s a compelling narrative,” in his revealing Variety interview – and also explained why it went back and forth between him and the character. As he called it.
“Why not play with the character and the artist and let those lines fade and move?”