The Weeknd is the stage name of the Ethiopian, Toronto-based R&B singer Abel Tesfaye. The Weeknd gained popularity in March 2011 after releasing his first album, House of Balloons. Prior to working with producers Illangelo and Doc McKinney, the artist was previously associated with the production team The Noise.

From the beginning however, The Weeknd has been supported by rapper Drake and his OVO crew. In fact, OVO crew member Oliver El-Khatib was the one who first played The Weeknd’s music to Drake, at which point he fell in love with the artist’s voice. Publicity created by Drake via his Twitter account ultimately led to The Weeknd’s initial popularity, and the singer has since exploded onto the music scene, having been featured in Rolling Stone magazine, MTV news, MuchMusic and more.

The Weeknd performed in his first ever concert at The Mod Club in Toronto on July 24, 2011. This is only the beginning for Abel.