Latest news with #Starboy
Forbes
7 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Weeknd's Catalog Benefits From His Movie, Even As It Underperforms
The Weeknd's Hurry Up Tomorrow album — as well as Starboy, After Hours, Beauty Behind the ... More Madness, and House of Balloons — climb the Billboard charts as the movie flops. SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - SEPTEMBER 7: Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye performs on stage during the 'After Hours Til Dawn Tour' at MorumBIS on September 7, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by) When it comes to The Weeknd's career at the moment, everything is pointing toward Hurry Up Tomorrow. His album by that name was released in January and has been rising and falling on the charts, churning out hit singles ever since. The movie of the same name, built around the music featured on the full-length, hasn't been quite as warmly welcomed. The title has proved to be a disappointment at the box office globally, though it's not quite done with its theatrical run just yet. The Weeknd's promotional might around the feature has helped the music, and as Hurry Up Tomorrow rises on the charts in the United States, several of his other collections are benefiting as well. Even as his movie fails, his music soars. Five of The Weeknd's albums appear on the Billboard charts this week. They're all climbing, and manage to find space on multiple rankings. The excitement generated by Hurry Up Tomorrow — the movie — seems to be having a positive effect on his past musical collections, even though it didn't generate the drive to visit cinemas that he was hoping for. Of course, Hurry Up Tomorrow the album is The Weeknd's top performer this frame. It rises on four lists, while also returning to the No. 3 spot on the Vinyl Albums ranking and at the same time holding in that position on the Top R&B Albums chart. Hurry Up Tomorrow lives inside the top 10 on all but one list, as it ascends to No. 20 on the Top Streaming Albums roster. The multi-genre project rises farthest on the Top Album Sales tally, jumping from No. 35 to No. 4. That growth is thanks not just to all of the marketing and promotion around The Weeknd's new movie, but also a physical re-release of the set. Starboy, After Hours, Beauty Behind the Madness, and House of Balloons all manage to appear on both the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B Albums chart this week. Each of those blockbuster releases climb — except for Starboy, which lifts on the Billboard 200 and holds steady on the Top R&B Albums ranking, keeping put at No. 8. All of those titles except for House of Balloons also find space on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums roster. Meanwhile, eight different tunes by The Weeknd appear on at least two Billboard songs tallies apiece.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tyler, the Creator, Missy Elliott, The Weeknd, Rihanna, Nas & More R&B and Rap Artists Who've Sampled & Interpolated Old African Songs
Aminé's third studio album 13 Months of Sunshine — which dropped Friday (May 16) — pays homage to his Ethiopian roots, and one of the clearest examples can be heard in the title track that samples Aster Aweke's 2019 track 'Nafkot.' Almost a decade ago, Canadian-Ethiopian superstar The Weeknd honored their shared motherland by also sampling Aweke's 'Y'shebellu' on his 2016 Starboy single 'False Alarm.' More from Billboard Nigerian Star Seyi Vibez Partners With EMPIRE, Drops New Single 'Pressure' MOLIY & Silent Addy's 'Shake It to the Max' Hits No. 1 on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs Chart Jet-Setting With Tems As She Makes History Around the World And they're not the only artists who've paid tribute to the continent. Tyler, the Creator's Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit 'NOID' from his seventh album Chromakopia finds the Nigerian American rapper paying homage to his African roots: He samples Zambian rock band Ngozi Family's 1977 track 'Nizakupanga Ngozi.' And it's not the first time the revered MC (real name Tyler Okonma) — who's become more vocal about his heritage (see his comment underneath OkayAfrica's Instagram post about not being included in the platform's roundup of African artists who performed at Coachella this year) — has sampled an old African song. 'I THINK,' from his Grammy-winning 2019 album IGOR samples Nigerian disco artist Bibi Mascel's 'Special Lady' as well as Cameroonian funk multi-instrumentalist Nkono Teles' 'Get Down.' The late and legendary Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango's 1972 smash 'Soul Makossa' is perhaps the most sampled African record ever, as its various instrumental elements have been heard in Jay-Z's 'Face Off' (featuring Sauce Money), Beyoncé's 'Deja Vu – Homecoming Live' (which Hov was also featured on) and countless more songs. The 'Mama ko mama sa maka makossa' hook has been adapted and used on hits like Michael Jackson's 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'' and Rihanna's 'Don't Stop the Music,' but there was quite a bit of legal controversy surrounding those two songs. Dibango sued both artists in 2009 for copyright infringement after Rihanna only asked Jackson for permission to borrow the hook from 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'' for her 2007 track without reaching out to Dibango. He had previously reached a financial settlement with the King of Pop, but Dibango demanded €500,000 in damages and for Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music to be barred from making money off those songs until the matter was resolved. But the judge threw the case out because Dibango had accepted publishing credit on Rihanna's song. Billboard rounded up 16 songs by R&B and rap artists that sample and interpolate vintage African songs, in order from newest to oldest. Aminé's '13MOS' from his 2025 album 13 Months of Sunshine samples fellow Ethiopian singer-songwriter Aster Aweke's 'Nafkot' from her 2019 album Ćhewa. Aweke's laidback, drawn-out runs on the first verse of 'Nafkot' are sped up and pitched up at the tail end of '13MOS.' Tyler, the Creator's 'NOID' single from his 2024 album Chromakopia samples Zambian rock band Ngozi Family's 'Nizakupanga Ngozi' from its 1977 album 45,000 Volts. 'NOID' loops the fuzzy guitar riff from 'Nizakupanga Ngozi,' while the chorus of Tyler's single samples Paul Ngozi's Chichewa vocals: 'Pobwela panyumba panga, uyenela ku nkala ndi ulemu/ Chifukwa, ine sinifuna vokamba, kamba/ Vokamba kamba vileta pa mulomo/ (Wotangozi, wotangozi).' 'NOID' reached No. 10 on the Hot 100 and No. 2 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Kelly Rowland's 2020 single 'Hitman' that was included in the NFL's 2020 Songs of the Season series samples Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti's 'Mr. Follow Follow' from his 1976 album Zombie. The bold, funky horn melody of 'Mr. Follow Follow' powers 'Hitman.' Beyoncé's 'Déjà Vu (Homecoming Live),' featuring Jay-Z, from the former's 2019 album Homecoming: The Live Album samples Fela Kuti's 'Zombie' from his 1976 album of the same name and Manu Dibango's 'Soul Makossa.' The groovy horn and rhythm sections of 'Zombie' and 'Soul Makossa' kick off 'Déjà Vu (Homecoming Live)' before Hov screams to the crowd, 'Coachella, if you havin' a good time tonight, make some noise!' 'Soul Makossa' reached No. 35 on the Hot 100, No. 21 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 3 on World Digital Song Sales. It also earned best R&B instrumental performance and best instrumental compilation nominations at the 1974 Grammys. Tyler, the Creator's 'I THINK' from his 2019 album Igor samples Nkono Teles' 'Get Down' from his 1982 album Afro Music Party and Bibi Mascel's 'Special Lady' from his 1982 album of the same name. 'I THINK' loops the four-on-the-floor drum beat from 'Get Down,' while Tyler and guest vocalist Solange lift Mascel's heartfelt chorus — 'I think I've fallen in love/ This time I think it's for real' — and fuzzy synth chord progression. 'I THINK' reached No. 51 on the Hot 100 and No. 22 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The Weeknd's 'False Alarm' from his 2016 album Starboy samples fellow Ethiopian singer-songwriter Aster Aweke's 'Y'shebellu' from her eponymous 1989 album Aster. Aweke's lithe runs can be faintly heard at the end of 'False Alarm,' which reached No. 55 on the Hot 100 and No. 23 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. 'Her voice is the greatest thing you'll ever hear,' The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) told Billboard for his 2016 No. 1s cover story. J. Cole's 'Let Nas Down' from his 2013 album Born Sinner samples Fela Kuti's 'Gentleman' from his 1973 album of the same title. 'Let Nas Down' loops Kuti's woozy saxophone solo from 'Gentleman.' J. Cole's 'Can't Get Enough,' featuring Trey Songz, from the former's 2011 album Cole World: The Sideline Story samples Guinean dance-music orchestra Balla et ses Balladins' 'Paulette' from its 1980 album Objectif Perfection. 'Can't Get Enough' loops the tropical guitar melodies and easygoing harmonies from 'Paulette.' Nas and Damian Marley's 'As We Enter' from their 2010 collaborative album Distant Relatives samples Ethio-jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke's 'Yegelle Tezeta' from his 1969 album New York – Addis – London: The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975. The blazing horn riff and shuffling organ groove of 'Yegelle Tezeta' underlines 'As We Enter,' which reached No. 16 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 and No. 23 on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales. Ye's 'Lost in the World,' featuring Bon Iver, from the former's 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy interpolates Manu Dibango's 'Soul Makossa.' He sings 'Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-se, ma-ma-ku-sa' in the first verse of 'Lost in the World,' a play on Dibango's hook from 'Soul Makossa.' The Roots' 'I Will Not Apologzie,' featuring Greg Porn and Dice Raw, from the band's 2008 album Rising Down samples Fela Kuti's 'Mr. Grammarticalogylisationalism is the Boss' from his 1975 album Excuse-O. The shrill horn section and polyrhythmic groove of 'Mr. Grammarticalogylisationalism is the Boss' underscore 'I Will Not Apologize.' Rihanna's 'Don't Stop the Music' from her 2007 album Good Girl Gone Bad samples Michael Jackson's 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin',' which interpolates Manu Dibango's 'Soul Makossa' from his 1973 album of the same title. She lifts the 'Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa' coda from Jackson's record, which Dibango had argued was an uncredited alteration of his hook from 'Soul Makossa.' Rihanna's hit peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and Pop Airplay while topping Dance Club Songs and Dance/Mix Show Airplay. It was also nominated for best dance recording at the 2008 Grammy Awards. Nas' 'Warrior Song,' featuring Alicia Keys, from his 2002 album God's Son samples Fela Kuti and The Afrika 70's 'Na Poi' from his 1971 album of the same title. Kuti's chanting from 'Na Poi' kicks off 'Warrior Song.' Missy Elliott's 'Whatcha Gon' Do,' featuring Timbaland, from her 2001 album Miss E…So Addictive samples Fela Kuti and The Afrika 70's 'Colonial Mentality' from his 1977 album Sorrow Tears and Blood. 'Whatcha Gon' Do' loops the introductory bass and drum melody of 'Colonial Mentality.' Jay-Z's 'Face Off,' featuring Sauce Money, from the former's 1997 album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 samples Manu Dibango's 'Soul Makossa.' The jazzy horn section and funky breakbeat of 'Soul Makossa' plays during the chorus of 'Face Off.' 'Jay came in, we put up the 'Soul Makossa' record, the sample, he had Sauce Money in there, and they went in together. It was hot. It was simple, nothing major. It was a one off,' Tone, one-half of the production duo Trackmasters that helmed the record, told Complex in 2012. 'We weren't gonna be in the studio for two weeks. It was just one session, he came, he spit, and it was over.' Michael Jackson's 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'' from his 1982 album Thriller interpolates Manu Dibango's 'Soul Makossa.' 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'' peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Cosmopolitan
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
‘Hurry Up Tomorrow,' Ending Explained
Hurry Up Tomorrow unfolds as a psychological odyssey centered on a globally renowned musician with insomnia and mental breakdown in the slow cooker. Directed by and starring Abel Tesfaye—formerly known as The Weeknd, currently known as Abel Tesfaye, and possibly known tomorrow as something else entirely—the film is a surrealist farewell to his alter ego. It's indulgent, it's cryptic, it's not always coherent. Let's get this out of the way: Hurry Up Tomorrow is not a movie in the traditional sense. Noir lighting and a haunting synth orchestral score does not a movie make. The film draws inspiration from a real-life incident in 2022 when Tesfaye lost his voice during a concert, serving as a catalyst for the story's exploration of identity and self-destruction. The plot, such as it is, starts in free fall. Tesfaye's character—also named Abel, pause for subtlety—loses his voice onstage during a massive stadium show. One second he's crooning, the next he's gasping, and then the screen snaps to black. When we rejoin him, he's holed up in a sterile hotel room, surrounded by voiceless handlers and memory fragments. Enter: Anima. Played by Jenna Ortega, we meet Anima as she is burning her home down as a pregame to one of Abel's concerts. Simultaneously, Abel, under the pressure of his career and personal turmoil, is diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia. Despite his manager Lee's (Barry Keoghan) encouragement to perform, Abel's voice falters on stage, leading him to abruptly end the show. Backstage, Anima appears to Abel as a fan, then a muse, then—probably—a hallucination. She is not real. Welcome back, The Sixth Sense. Anima leads Abel down a nocturnal rabbit hole of increasingly unhinged set pieces: a silent cab ride through a city that looks vaguely like downtown L.A. but smells like purgatory; a motel bathtub full of black roses; a rave full of masked doppelgängers dancing to a slowed-down version of 'Starboy.' This is the part where the movie stops pretending to care about narrative. We get flashbacks (or are they dreams?) of Abel as a child watching his mother cry during an eviction. We see him in a recording studio, singing into a mic that slowly turns into a noose. We watch Anima smear lipstick across his face, whispering, 'You made me up so you could forget.' And then comes the fire… In the film's hypnotic climax on a windswept rooftop, Anima drenches Abel in gasoline and strikes a match. He burns, but doesn't die. He stands in the flames, blank-faced, glowing like a saint on fire. A loud metaphor for death and rebirth, Abel emerges unscathed, suggesting a transformation and the shedding of his former persona, The Weeknd. Cut to: a final shot of Abel walking, alone, into the morning light. Silent and unbranded. Tesfaye has been teasing the death of 'The Weeknd' for years now, and Hurry Up Tomorrow is less a story than a Gucci-clad funeral. Of course, the vanity project's art-school symbolism and elliptical dialogue—'Do you love the dream or the sleeper?', an actual line—will leave some viewers shivering with The Idol flashbacks. For those tuned into Tesfaye's wavelength—equal parts Prince, Lynch, and Tumblr—it's a mostly entertaining piece of personal myth-making. Hurry Up Tomorrow is now playing in theaters. Get Tickets Now
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Weeknd Insists 'Cinema' Is His True Passion Despite His Panned Performance In The Idol
The Weeknd has revealed his true life's passion... and surprisingly, it's not music. The 'Starboy' musician admitted that his rise to superstardom in the music industry was really just 'a little detour' he used to pursue his number one passion. The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, sat alongside his 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' co-star Jenna Ortega and director Trey Edward Shults where he discussed how his decorated music career has led him to starring in his upcoming musical film, 'Hurry up Tomorrow.' The movie — based on his sixth and final studio album under The Weeknd stage name — serves as a soundtrack to the highly anticipated film. Described as a 'suspense thriller,' the film follows an international pop star 'plagued by insomnia' and 'pulled into an odyssey with a stranger who begins to unravel the very core of his existence. They story is loosely inspired by Tesfaye's own career. He confessed how, 'Cinema has always, for me, it's always kind of been my number one passion. I happen to sing and make music and it kind of felt like a little detour, a little cheat code to kind of get into this. I always wanted to make movies and I always wanted to make music with movies.' He added: 'During that journey, you always kind of hear and see the DNA of cinema in my albums and my music videos, and my performances on my stage. It's always just been a part of me.' The star's breakout acting role came in 2023 on HBO's 'The Idol,' which received mixed reviews and criticism for both the plot and his acting chops. That said, the pop mega star admitted that 'The Idol' didn't quite feel like it was his, whereas 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' brought the joy back into filmmaking. 'I'm like, 'Yeah! I do want to do this…this is great,' ' the star said with a relieved laugh. Tesfaye's decision to retire his stage name came during a time his voice began to fail him, describing the film as a 'guiding light' to push him forward to the next step in his career. 'It felt like I had nothing else to say,' the 35-year-old revealed. 'I was on stage and it's like, I've said everything I can say as this person. Now it's time for me to take that next step.' While Tesfaye's breakout role may have left fans less than inspired, many are gearing up to see what's next for him in this 'intentionally mysterious' mind bending thriller, co-written by the music artist. Since kicking off his career with acclaimed mixtape 'House of Balloons,' Tesfaye has reportedly taken home a total of 176 awards out of 513 nominations including Grammy, Billboard, American Music, and MTV Awards. 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' is set to release in theaters May 16. This story originally appeared on The Root, our sister site, on Thursday, May 8. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Daily Record
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Fans only just discovering meaning behind The Weeknd's name
Millions of fans worldwide have spent years streaming and belting out hits like "Blinding Lights" and "Starboy", captivated by the Weeknd's distinctive sound. However, with the recent announcement that the pop sensation is rebranding himself by ditching his iconic stage name, many are only now uncovering the origins of the moniker he's used for 15 years. The Weeknd boasts an impressive list of achievements, including holding the title for Spotify's most streamed track of all time with "Blinding Lights", which has racked up an astonishing 4.6 billion streams. Additionally, 22 of his songs have also surpassed the billion-stream mark on the platform. Born Abel Tesfaye, the Canadian artist has decided to return to his birth name after facing mental health struggles following a breakdown at the end of his "After Hours Til Dawn" tour. Embarking on a journey of self-discovery led him to question the persona that catapulted him to global stardom, and whether it truly represented him. In an interview with Variety, he confessed: "It's a headspace I've gotta get into that I just don't have any more desire for. I feel like it comes with so much .. "You have a persona, but then you have the competition of it all. It becomes this rat race: more accolades, more success, more shows, more albums, more awards and more No. 1s. It never ends until you end it", reports the Irish Star. As he rebrands himself under his given name, fans are only now discovering the story behind the stage name that propelled him to fame. The tale of The Weeknd's rise to fame stretches back to his Toronto childhood, long before he became a streaming sensation. In a revealing Q&A session with fans on Reddit, the artist born Abel Tesfaye recounted: "I left home when I was about 17, dropped out of high school and convinced Lamar [XO crew member] to do the same." He detailed their bold move: "We grabbed our mattresses from our parents, threw them in our friend's s****y van and left one weekend and never came back home. I hated my name at the time, though, so I tried it as a stage name. It sounded cool." The unusual spelling of The Weeknd was born out of necessity after finding another band had already snapped up 'The Weekend. ' If not for this Canadian namesake, his moniker as we know it might never have come to be. Meanwhile, Abel has been grabbing headlines with his upcoming thriller film "Hurry Up Tomorrow". The movie follows a fictionalised version of himself dealing with severe insomnia and a mental collapse. The narrative draws inspiration, albeit loosely, from a real-life incident where Abel lost his voice mid-show at SoFi Stadium with 80,000 spectators watching. However, the film portrays an "interpretation" of how things might have unwound had he lost it all.
