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The Weeknd is one of the most successful musicians in the world. His unique style and soulful music have garnered him millions of fans worldwide. But how much money did The Weeknd make from his music? Let’s take a look!
The Weeknd is worth €176 million.
| Assets: | 176 million euros |
|---|---|
| Nationality: | Canada |
| Source of wealth: | singer |
| Date of birth: | February 16, 1990 |
| Size: | 1.73 m |
| Other sources of income: | Advertising contracts, entrepreneurs |
How did The Weeknd become so successful?
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the ‘Blinding Lights’ star, who is also notorious for his celebrity ex-girlfriends such as Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez, is now in the millions.
The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, has made the Forbes list of top earners several times in recent years, most notably in 2017 when he was the sixth highest-paid celebrity. That was the year he broke records with his album Starboy, earning around $1.1 million per stop on his worldwide music tour.
Since releasing his Hot 100 debut alongside Drake in 2012, the singer-songwriter has gone from strength to strength. In his career to date he has received three Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, nineteen Billboard Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, 15 Juno Awards and an Oscar nomination.
In 2012, The Weeknd founded his record label XO, which is a subsidiary of Republic Records.
Aside from his tremendous fame, The Weeknd has also made a lucrative career by selling numerous best-selling albums. He has signed deals with condom manufacturers, e-cigarette manufacturers and Marvel. He was also a “face” of Apple Music and a brand ambassador for Puma. The Weeknd has his own clothing line called XO.
Childhood
“The Weeknd” was born on February 16, 1990 in Toronto, Ontario. After his parents divorced, he grew up with his mother and grandmother. The Weeknd’s father and mother arrived in Canada from Ethiopia in the late 1980s.
Tesfaye’s father was not involved in his life during his childhood, and the two only saw each other once or twice. Religion had a major impact on Tesfaye’s early years, and he frequently attended the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
At the age of 11, Abel Tesfaye was already using drugs. What started with smoking marijuana developed into an addiction to stronger substances, and Tesfaye claims he committed crimes to fund his addiction. He did not graduate from high school because he left before the end of his senior year.
Breakthrough with his music career
After touring the United States and Europe in 2012, The Weeknd launched his own label, Republic Records’ XO. The Weeknd’s XO is a subsidiary of Republic Records, which acts as a sister label to the main label.
Trilogy was the result of that relationship, a collection of The Weeknd’s first three mixtapes. After years of being blamed for songs he didn’t write, Jeremy Rose is finally being recognized for his contributions. The album reached number four on the Billboard 200 in the United States.
A year later, Abel Tesfaye’s first full-length studio album, Kiss Land, was released. The album featured performances by Drake and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. After several years of collaborating with artists such as Justin Timberlake and Ariana Grande , as well as extensive touring, The Weeknd has collaborated with other artists such as Miley Cyrus.
Property
In December 2019, The Weeknd bought a Los Angeles penthouse overlooking the Beverly Hills Country Club for $21 million. The monthly fee for the HOA is $6,800. Before moving to LA, he rented a triplex penthouse in New York City for $60,000 a month.
The Weeknd previously acquired a three-acre estate in Hidden Hills, California for $18 million in June 2017. The home was listed for sale in June 2020 for $25 million. In April 2021, he sold the home to Madonna for $20 million.
Things to do
The Weeknd has worked with a condom manufacturer, an e-cigarette company and Marvel Comics. He is also one of the “faces” of Apple Music and has been a brand ambassador for Puma. The Weeknd is also heavily involved in the fashion industry.
He has worked with companies like A Bathing Ape and designers like Alexander Wang. The Weeknd has invested in esports company OverActive Media Group.
Private life
In 2015, The Weeknd began dating model Bella Hadid. They broke up due to scheduling difficulties caused by their busy schedules. He was previously briefly involved with Selena Gomez in 2017 and the couple lived together for a time before going their separate ways.
In 2018, The Weeknd reunited with Bella Hadid once more, but in 2019, the two split for a second time.