Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye's creative juice is coffee
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The Weeknd, who is transitioning his stage name to his given name, Abel Tesfaye, is a proud Canadian of Ethiopian descent.
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Born in Toronto into an Ethiopian home, Tesfaye says both identities 'keep me grounded.' I can see why that is necessary, as the superstar has quite the resume, including four Grammy Awards, nominations for an Academy Award and an Emmy Award and the title of the first Canadian solo artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
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Tesfaye added 'coffee entrepreneur' to his CV in 2023 by starting the brand SAMRA ORIGINS, named after his mom, Samra. He was inspired by the Ethiopian coffee ritual, which is centred on community and bringing family and friends together. The collaboration between Samra Origins and Nespresso brings 'rich, bold flavours that take you beyond the cup.'
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Beyond the cup, Tefsaye is on his Hurry Up Tomorrow tour across Canada and the U.S. and just released a film of the same name (check out his Hurry Up Tomorrow album). The tour, not unlike the ethos of SAMRA ORIGINS, is about 'connecting between humans, conveying artistic self-discovery and healing alongside the chaos of it all,' says Tesfaye.
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What else is on the very busy schedule of the Canadian megastar? 'You and I both will see in time,' says Tesfaye. Learn more from Tesfaye from our exclusive interview below.
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