Released: October 4, 2012

Songwriter: The Weeknd

To my fans

I want to thank you for listening and being patient for as long as you have. No matter what an artist's ego clouds them to believe, you are the reason why I have been able to continue to do what I love to do and that is to entertain you. My journey for inspiration may seem like masochism to others who have not been given the task to make art, but best believe it brings me nothing but joy.

Because I am a man of few words, I chose to make a viral video to show you how I felt and where I stand. I usually don't like to "spoon feed" my audience because I grew up idolizing story tellers who tell stories using symbolism, so it was in my nature to do the same. The Rolling Stone video takes place in a dimly lit studio which represents the two worlds I have been stuck in. The gloomy side represents the mainstream world while the other side represents the underground. The girl holding on represents you. As the world slowly gets familiar with my face the more you will lose interest (hence the pieces of her clothes coming off at every shot). The camera lights symbolize the crossover, and when they begin to flash I look away from the underground. Even though I don't want to, it is a step that I feel I must take to evolve as an artist.

This predicament is impossible to relate to unless you are put in that unique situation. I want you to know and understand that this does not mean what you think it means, and I made sure of that in my deal. You will continue to get what you fell in love with, and I will continue to give you what you ask for. I'll never make you wait again. With that being said expect more from me very soon leading up to Trilogy. Thank you again for your patience and loyalty, I will not disappoint.

Sincerely
Abel Tesfaye XO

The Weeknd

Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990 in Scarborough, Ontario), popularly known as The Weeknd, is an R&B/pop/hip-hop singer-songwriter and record producer from Toronto, Canada. He has been referred to as the songbird of his generation and the best musical talent since Michael Jackson throughout his career.

The Weeknd gained widespread critical acclaim for his three mixtapes, House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence, which he later compiled to make a remastered, three-disc album titled Trilogy after signing his record deal with Republic. In 2013, he released Kiss Land, which was considered to be his debut studio album.

In 2014, he dropped “Often,” a remix of Beyonce’s “Drunk In Love,” and “King of the Fall.” The Weeknd released two songs in collaboration with the film Fifty Shades of Grey, with “Earned It” becoming his solo breakout hit.