The Weeknd Quotes

The Weeknd turned dark, late-night R&B into some of the biggest pop songs of the century. Here is the story of the artist, a guide to his essential songs and a set of original lines inspired by his music.

The story of The Weeknd

Abel Tesfaye was born in Toronto on 16 February 1990 to Ethiopian immigrant parents. In 2011 he released three free mixtapes online under the name The Weeknd, dropping the third “e” to avoid confusion with another Canadian band. They made him a cult figure almost overnight.

Beauty Behind the Madness (2015), with “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills”, and Starboy (2016), recorded partly with Daft Punk, made him a global star. “Blinding Lights” from After Hours (2020) became one of the most successful songs in the history of the US charts, and in 2021 he headlined the Super Bowl halftime show. He has also worked as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN World Food Programme.

Songs that tell his story

• Wicked Games (2011): one of the songs from his first mixtape, slow, dark and intimate.
• Can’t Feel My Face (2015): an upbeat pop hit with a much darker meaning underneath.
• The Hills (2015): a moody song about a secret relationship.
• Starboy (2016): a song about fame and its excess, made with Daft Punk.
• Blinding Lights (2019): an eighties-inspired song about racing through the city to see someone.
• Save Your Tears (2020): a song about regret after hurting someone.

Quotes inspired by The Weeknd

The lines below are our own, written by the Pretty Phrases team in the spirit of the music of The Weeknd. They are not song lyrics and they are not statements by the artists.

1. The city lights are bright, but the right person shines brighter.
2. Some nights are for dancing, others for healing.
3. Fame is loud; peace is quiet. Choose wisely.
4. Do not save your tears for someone who never saw them.

5. Regret is a teacher, not a home.
6. Chase the feeling, not the spotlight.
7. Every new dawn is a chance to start over.
8. The darkest songs can still lead to the light.

9. Know your worth before the world tries to price it.
10. Drive slowly through your memories.
11. Be mysterious if you like, but never be cruel.
12. After the hours, there is always morning.

The Weeknd made the night his own. Share these lines with someone who knows how to find light after dark.