9781422276303

HIP - HOP & R&B Culture, Music & Storytelling

Beyoncé Bruno Mars Cardi B Chance the Rapper DJ Khaled

mason crest Panchami Boyd

Drake Jay-Z Pharrell Pitbull Rihanna The Weeknd

HIP - HOP & R&B Culture, Music & Storytelling e Weeknd

CONTENTS Chapter 1 : Greatest Moments in The Weeknd’s Highlights Reel............................... 7 Chapter 2: Determination on the Road to the Top...................................................... 29 Chapter 3: Partnerships and Expansion. ......................................................................... 39 Chapter 4: Speaking Out—For and Against. ................................................................. 55 Chapter 5: The Weeknd Returns to His Community Roots....................................... 65 Series Glossary of Key Terms.................................................................................................. 72 Further Reading.......................................................................................................................... 74 Internet Resources..................................................................................................................... 74 Educational Video Links........................................................................................................... 74 Citations........................................................................................................................................ 75 Photo Credits............................................................................................................................... 76 Index............................................................................................................................................... 77 Author’s Biography.................................................................................................................... 80

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Copyright © 2019 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechani- cal, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

hardback: 978-1-4222-4188-2 series: 978-1-4222-4176-9 ebook: 978-1-4222-7630-3

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Boyd, Panchami, author. Title: The Weeknd / Panchami Boyd. Description: Broomall, PA : Mason Crest, 2018. | Series: Hip-hop & R&B: culture, music & storytelling. Identifiers: LCCN 2018020776 (print) | LCCN 2018022430 (ebook) | ISBN 9781422276303 (eBook) | ISBN 9781422241882 (hardback) | ISBN 9781422241769 (series) Subjects: LCSH: Weeknd, 1990---Juvenile literature. | Singers--Canada--Biography--Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC ML3930.W406 (ebook) | LCC ML3930.W406 B69 2018 (print) | DDC 782.42164092 [B] --dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018020776

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Chapter 1:

Greatest Moments in The Weeknd’s Highlights Reel F rom mixtapes, studio albums, worldwide tours, and collaborations with a number of artists, The Weeknd has a long

and exciting discography. His work spans several years, and the evolution of his sound and style shows growth and highlights the positive reception he has received from critics around the industry. The Weeknd’s Playlist This debut mixtape was available for free digital download on The Weeknd’s official website at the time of release. Critics were surprised and pleased by the production, and several stated that part of the appeal was how mysterious and unexpected its appearance was. Following its release, The Weeknd didn’t conduct any interviews for two years, adding an additional layer of H ouse of B alloons (Released March 21, 2011)

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mystery and anonymity to his music and persona. H ouse of B alloons was the seventh most frequently mentioned album in the 2011 music publications’ end-of-year top album lists. The mixtape’s title refers to a place in Toronto, Ontario, and the music is based on The Weeknd’s experiences in Toronto. The mixtape uses the timeline and story of a party—before and after the event—with crisp sounds and dark themes. Promoted singles from the mixtape included Wicked Games and Twenty Eight . The Weeknd’s debut music video was for the song The Knowing , which featured sci-fi and futuristic themes. The Weeknd’s mysterious identity at the time, paired with the mixtape’s R&B, soul, dream-pop, and hip-hop sound, made it an excellent debut musical piece. Not only did it spark The Weeknd’s career but it also generated interest in the musician himself. T hursday (Released August 28, 2011) This mixtape was independently released on The Weeknd’s official website and met with an overall positive response from critics. Matthew Cole, a critic from Slant Magazine, called it one of the year’s “best albums.” He also wrote the following positive note about The Weeknd’s work: “The Weeknd is in full command of his craft, and at this point, it’s almost impossible for me

to imagine that he won’t deliver on the finale. He’s earned my trust, as would any other artist who had already released two of the year’s best albums.” T hursday is conceptual in nature, in that it focuses specifically on a single scenario and unpacks it throughout each song. The mixtape’s story describes The Weeknd’s relationship with a girl—how they agree to meet only on Thursdays, and how the relationship progresses, grows, and breaks down. Using subdued and smooth melodies, the created stories follow a single narrative and these specific characters throughout the mixtape. Collaborations The Zone , featuring Drake E choes of S ilence (Released December 21, 2011) The Weeknd’s final mixtape, E choes of S ilence , continued with the theme of dark and edgy songs, much like his previous two mixtapes. Rolling Stone gave it 3.5 stars, and it received a Metacritic rating of 82/100. Overall, though E choes of S ilence was not received by critics as positively, it was nominated for a Polaris Music Prize in 2012. This award is given annually to the best Canadian album—based not on genre, sales, or label but on artistic merit.

Scan here to watch the full video for The Knowing , The Weeknd’s first music video from the mixtape H ouse of B alloons

Drake

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The Weeknd

Notably, the mixtape included a cover of Michael Jackson’s hit single Dirty Diana , called D.D. The Weeknd gave the classic song his own twist and personality. This cover is notable, as The Weeknd often cites Michael Jackson as his inspiration for singing and striving to become a better person. Together, the three mixtapes told a story. H ouse of B alloons offered slightly more celebratory themes, telling the story of a party and its aftermath. T hursday moved into a personal aspect by focusing on a particular relationship within this party atmosphere. Finally, E choes of S ilence used lyrical callbacks to the previous mixtapes, focusing on dark emotions that follow the aftermath of the events occurring in the previous two mixtapes. The trio of mixtapes encompassed the story of party culture and relationships with people and how the two intersect. Collaborations Same Old Song , featuring Juicy J T rilogy (Released November 09, 2012) In September 2012, after The Weeknd’s mixtapes had been downloaded over 8 million times, he signed with Republic Records. Following that, his previous three mixtapes— H ouse of

B alloons , T hursday , and E choes of S ilence —were remastered and rereleased as the album T rilogy . This compilation album allowed The Weeknd to breathe new life into his former work. Since all of the original mixtapes

had been made available for free download on his website, the new album also allowed the material to be repurposed for retail purchase. As a bonus, the remastered version of the mixtapes also included three previously unreleased tracks. Ahead of the album release, The Weeknd hosted his first media event: an intimate listening party in New York to preview the music. He also shared a music video for the song Rolling Stone in appreciation for the support his fans had given him along the way, thanking them for their continued support. He vowed to continue creating music that they enjoyed.

Scan here to watch the full music video for D.D. , The Weeknd’s cover of Dirty Diana , from the mixtape E choes of S ilence

His genuine words showed how truly valuable his fan base was to his work. In order to further promote the album and encourage its purchase, he released a highly anticipated music video with Drake for the second lead single, The Zone .

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The album T rilogy sold 600,000 copies, topped the charts at number five on the Canadian Albums Chart and at number four on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA (the Recording Industry Association of America’s Certification Program) on March 22, 2016. K iss L and (Released September 20, 2014) The Weeknd’s debut studio album, K iss L and , sold 95,000 copies in its first week and has sold over 270,000 copies overall as of the beginning of 2018. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 Chart in the United States. The Weeknd explained K iss L and ' s title came from experiencing tour life, as well as the nervous energy that accompanied his performing on stage. Collaborations Live For , featuring Drake B eauty behind the M adness (Released August 28, 2015) The Weeknd’s second studio album marks when his success took off on an international level. It has sold over 3 million copies worldwide and over 1 million copies in the United States and

was the tenth best-selling album in 2015. The production was certified Platinum by the RIAA on April 28, 2016, after debuting at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop

Album charts, and number one on the UK Albums Chart (compiled by the Official Charts Company). Two of its singles, The Hill and Can’t Feel My Face , went to number one on the U.S. Billboard Top 100 Chart. Can’t Feel My Face spent nine weeks on the U.S. Billboard Top 100 while Earned It , another single off the album, garnered The Weeknd an Academy Award nomination. Collaborations Losers , featuring Labrinth Dark Times , featuring Ed Sheeran Prisoner, featuring Lana Del Rey

Scan to watch the music video for Belong to the World , the second single from K iss L and ; The Weeknd shared that this song is about falling in love with the wrong person

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The Weeknd

S tarboy (Released November 25, 2016)

garnered over 30 million views on YouTube and helped showcase what the album would look like. Although he indicated the story of the album was more “collage-like” in nature, putting parts of all of the songs from the album into M A N I A depicted how the songs were connected. Collaborations Starboy , featuring Daft Punk Stargirl Interlude , featuring Lana Del Rey Sidewalks , featuring Kendrick Lamar All I Know , featuring Future I Feel It Coming , featuring Daft Punk Tour Information Though often perceived as shy in person, The Weeknd’s successful tours have cemented his success as an artist and have helped him create a bond for life with fans around the world. Before appearing in his own tours, The Weeknd appeared on JustinTimberlake’s 20/20 Tour, in which he headlined for six shows. The King of the Fall Tour Due to the success of his first three mixtapes, The Weeknd was reportedly able to sell out his first U.S. tour, The King of the Fall Tour, in less than

The Weeknd’s third studio album sold more than 200,000 copies in its first week, and over 2 million copies in the United States since its release. Starboy , the lead single from the album, has over 1.2 billion views on YouTube. It also peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was The Weeknd’s third number one single. Unlike the three-part story that The Weeknd told through his three mixtapes, this album was intended to express a number of different influences and stories. He described it in the following way: The album is like a giant collage. Usually I have a linear story line, but this one feels very schizophrenic— that’s probably the best way to describe it. Multiple personalities. Every song is almost its own character. This collage-like format is likely also what contributed to the fact the album has the most collaborations out of any of his previously released albums. Two days before S tarboy was released, The Weeknd made a short film available. Titled M A N I A , it featured twelve snippets of songs from the album. This promotional short has

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Scan to watch M A N I A , a short film featuring songs from the album S tarboy

Kendrick Lamar at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards held at the Forum in Inglewood, CA, on August 27, 2017

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The Weeknd

Coachella 2018

five minutes. This initial junket was scheduled only for the U.S. and began on April 22, 2012, with a performance at Coachella 2012 in California. Later dates were added, expanding the tour into Vancouver, Spain, and Portugal, with the final show being performed in Chicago, Illinois, at the August 03 Lollapalooza show. The Madness Fall Tour In support of his B eauty behind the M adness album, The Madness Fall Tour included twenty- four shows across Canada and the United States, with over 300,000 people in attendance. The tour started in his birth city of Toronto on November 03, 2015, and ended in Miami, Florida, on December 19, 2015. The circuit made over $24 million. Travis Scott, Banks, and Halsey all joined The Weeknd on the tour. S tarboy : Legend of the Fall Tour The worldwide S tarboy : Legend of the Fall Tour—in support of his album S tarboy —lasted from February 17 to December 14, 2017. The ninety- five performances occurred across Europe, South America, North America, and Oceania. The opening acts differed across tour dates, but included Bryson Tiller, Lil Uzi Vert, Gucci Mane, NAV, Rae Sremmurd, Belly, 6lack, and French Montana. Several of the shows on this tour were part of festivals, exposing his work to even larger audiences.

The Weeknd, Eminem, and Beyoncé are the scheduled headliners for Coachella 2018. The Weeknd first performed at Coachella in 2012, and his work has come a long way since then, including several Billboard Top 100 singles, Grammy Awards, and other international accolades. That first performance at Coachella 2012 was also The Weeknd’s first stage appearance in the United States. He recalled feeling nervous and, immediately after watching a video of the performance, decided that it didn’t embody a star. He knew that he could do better. The full circle moment to come at Coachella 2018 is an exciting chance for The Weeknd to prove to himself, and his fans, what he already knew in 2012. Noteworthy Collaborations Crew Love by Drake, featuring TheWeeknd (Released July 30, 2012) Drake’s album T ake C are contained this collaboration, which entered the Billboard Top 100 Chart and reached number seven on UK’s R&B Chart. The Weeknd is credited with writing several of T ake C are ʼ s songs.

Eminem

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The Weeknd

Elastic Heart by Sia, featuring The Weeknd and Diplo (Released March 20, 2013) Part of The Hunger has often been called the standout single from the album. It reached a peak chart position of sixty-one in the UK and was certified Gold in Denmark. It also peaked at number seven in New Zealand. Sia eventually Games: Catching Fire soundtrack, this song

In part, this was due to The Weeknd’s appreciation to Drake in helping with his success. However, The Weeknd later recalled that he found the experience difficult, as some of the songs were originally intended for his mixtape, H ouse of B alloons . Nonetheless the respect the two Canadian artists share for each other and their bond has produced great collaborations—like this one.

Remember You byWiz Khalifa, featuring The Weeknd (Released September 24, 2012) Featured on Wiz Khalifa’s fourth studio album O.N.F.I.C. , this song is credited as an idea that The Weeknd originally had. It was nominated for a Grammy Award, specifically, the 2014 Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The track reached number fifteen on Billboard’s U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. The song is an unconventional love song, focusing on a one-night relationship. Though featured on the song, The Weeknd does not appear in the music video.

Scan here to watch the music video for Wiz Khalifa and

released a solo version of the electro-pop song in 2015 on her sixth studio album, 1000 F orms of F ear . Love Me Harder by Ariana Grande, featuring TheWeeknd (Released September 30, 2014) This pop-R&B song comes from Ariana Grande’s second studio album, M y E verything . It has sold over 1.2 million copies in the United States and the video has over 500 million views on YouTube. The Weeknd’s collaboration, Remember You

Ariana Grande at the 2016 American Music Awards held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA, on November 20, 2016

Wiz Khalifa

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Might Not by Belly , featuring TheWeeknd (Released December 15, 2015) This hip-hop collaboration is from Belly’s mixtape U p for D ays , released from XO and Roc Nation. The song has been certified Platinum via the RIAA, and the video has over 40 million views on YouTube. In May 2016, the duo was supposed to perform Might Not on Jimmy Kimmel Live! , but ultimately canceled their performance only days before they were supposed to record the show. They discovered that presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was also scheduled to be a guest on the episode.

In a statement, Belly explained that he didn’t want to share a stage with someone whose beliefs he did not agree with. He offered the following statement in support of his decision: I just didn’t want to feel like I was a part of a celebration for somebody who has beliefs that the majority of us don’t agree with. I’m here on a campaign of positivity and love and to contribute what I can to music. . . . I create songs people go to sleep and wake up to, songs that they fall in love to. For me, being Muslim and being somebody that appreciates my access here in America, I love the fact that I’m able to be here. To play my part in this business is a privilege and a beautiful thing. The fact that I could lose that ability through the actions of someone such as Donald Trump isn’t right to me. At all. Although The Weeknd did not release an official statement like Belly did, presumably his reasoning was similar; otherwise, he likely would have still been featured on the episode. FML by KanyeWest , featuring TheWeeknd (Released February 14, 2016) FML is featured on Kanye West’s album T he L ife of P ablo . His connection with The Weeknd as artists didn’t start with just this collaboration, though. In 2015, in a GQ magazine video, The Weeknd previewed clothing pieces from Kanye West’s Yeezy Season One Collection. It cemented a relationship that spotlighted The Weeknd as a ”

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style icon and explored the possibility of a future collaboration between the two artists. 6 Inch by Beyoncé, featuring TheWeeknd (Released April 23, 2016) This exciting collaboration comes from Beyoncé’s critically acclaimed album, L emonade . The song debuted on the Billboard Top 100 Chart at number eighteen. The Weeknd is also credited as a writer on 6 Inch , highlighting his diverse talents in the music industry. This alternative R&B jam marks the first official collaboration track for Beyoncé and The Weeknd. However, at Lollapalooza in 2015, The Weeknd performed a well-received cover of Beyoncé’s track Drunk in Love . And prior to that, he performed at Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s Made in America festival. Following that appearance, he tweeted a thank-you to Jay-Z and Beyoncé for letting him headline at the event. Some Way by NAV, featuring TheWeeknd (Released February 16, 2017) Released on NAV’s debut self-titled mixtape, this single has been certified Gold in Canada. It reached the number one position on Billboard’s

Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Chart and has over 30 million views on YouTube. NAV opened for many of The Weeknd’s S tarboy Tour shows, and some of his first memories of performing for a large audience come from working with The Weeknd. He recalled an experience during a London show of the S tarboy Tour when he made eye contact with a person in the audience who asked, “Who is that?”while he performed. NAV called it a nerve-wracking experience and immediately had to look away. NAV and The Weeknd also performed the single at Coachella in 2017. Rambo by Bryson Tiller, featuring TheWeeknd (Released March 31, 2017) On The Weeknd’s SoundCloud page, he released a remixed version of Bryson Tiller’s Rambo . Bryson Tiller and The Weeknd’s professional relationship has moved beyond this remix, though. Tiller was a featured part of The Weeknd’s S tarboy Tour, and Bryson Tiller cites The Weeknd as an example of the growth he’d like to display. In a May 31, 2017, Billboard interview, he told interviewer Sowmya Krishnamurthy that

Scan here to watch a video of The Weeknd showing off pieces from Kanye West’s Yeezy Season One Collection— long before they collaborated on T he L ife of P ablo

Scan here to watch the music video for Might Not featuring The Weeknd and Belly

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has more than 25 million views, and the single peaked at the seventy-fifth position of the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Shake It Out by Florence + the Machine, featuring TheWeeknd (Released on October 02, 2011) Rambo isn’t the first song that The Weeknd has remixed. In 2011, he reworked Florence + The Machine’s single, Shake It Out , from their album C eremonials . The Weeknd’s version was darker than the original and completely changed the mood of the song. Curve by Gucci Mane, featuring TheWeeknd (Released October 13, 2017) From Gucci Mane’s eleventh album, M r . D avic , this song was especially exciting for the duo. Gucci Mane had this to say about the partnership: I’m a huge fan, and I respect The Weeknd and whole team of XO. We exchanged numbers and started [to] build a rapport with each other. And we were bouncing off records; I’ll send him records, he’ll send me beats. And then one day he sent me this record that NAV produced. It was like an early birthday gift or Christmas present.

I just think fans gotta let their favorite artist grow. Just stick it out with them. I always use the example of The Weeknd. He used to make dark, mysterious music that was excellent. T he T rilogy —everybody loved it. Now, he’s S tarboy . There may be fans that are upset about that, but he’s S tarboy now. You gotta let your favorite artist grow and be great. Lust for Life by Lana Del Rey, featuring TheWeeknd (Released April 19, 2017) Featured on Lana Del Rey’s fifth studio album, also called L ust for L ife , the track was listed as number nine on Rolling Stone’s “50 Best Songs of 2017” list. The Weeknd has called this artist one of his closest friends in the industry, and he is the first person she has collaborated with on an album. Though not an official feature, Lana Del Rey is a background singer on The Weeknd’s Party Monster and is a co-writer for the song. This brings the total number of songs they have collaborated on to four, which is the highest number of collaborations for each performer with any one artist. A Lie by French Montana, featuring TheWeeknd and Max B (Released August 15, 2017) This triple-threat feature was included on French Montana’s album J ungle R ules . The video ”

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Scan the QR code to watch the video to The Weeknd’s remixed version of Shake It Out

Scan to watch the official video for Lana Del Rey and The Weeknd’s hit song Lust for Life

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UnFazed by Lil Uzi Vert, featuring TheWeeknd (Released October 10, 2017) The Weeknd has appeared in other videos from Lil Uzi Vert, and in turn, Lil Uzi Vert was an opener on The Weeknd’s S tarboy Tour. UnFazed is part of Lil Uzi Vert’s debut album L uv is R age 2 . The unique animated YouTube video has over 6 million views. XO Tour Llif3 , another single from Lil Uzi Vert’s L uv is R age 2, features The Weeknd in the music video.

Scan here to watch Lil Uzi Vert and The Weeknd’s animated video for UnFazed

Lil Uzi Vert

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Chapter 2:

Determination on the Road to the Top

Words to Understand

stage name: a name used by an entertainer instead of their real name. intrigued: having one’s interest, desire, or curiosity strongly aroused. anonymous: without any name acknowledged, usually as an author, contributor, or the creator of some other artistic endeavor. OVO (October’s Very Own) Sound: a Toronto, Canada, recording label founded by Aubrey Drake Graham and his longtime friends and copyright: the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute the matter and form of a creative production, such as a literary, musical, or artistic work. partners Noah “40” Shebib and Oliver El Khatib.

Family Ties B orn Abel Makkonen Tesfaye in Toronto, Ontario, and raised in Scarborough, Ontario, The Weeknd faced several challenges in becoming the international sensation he is today. His father left his family when he was a young toddler. Though Abel didn’t know him, he doesn’t judge or think less of his father. His mother, Samra Tesfaye, and grandmother raised him. His mother juggled several different jobs to support Abel, including catering while in night school. Abel’s interest in music started at a young age, and he began working on and recording his music while in high school. At age seventeen, Abel dropped out of school and moved away from home. For a while, he was homeless, and during this period, he didn’t speak to his mother. He began working on his mixtapes and started an anonymous YouTube channel.

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Awards, where The Weeknd won two Grammys. In a later interview, Bella revealed they chose that night to appear publicly as a couple because she wanted to support his music as his girlfriend. The couple amicably parted in November 2016, after a year and a half of dating, due to busy schedules. After their breakup, The Weeknd performed at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, where Bella made her modeling debut. She called him her “best friend,” stating that there was no awkwardness between the two. Rumors of the two getting back together resurface every few months, though it hasn’t yet happened. Selena Gomez A few months later, in January 2017, The Weeknd and Selena Gomez were

After dropping out of school and moving downtown, away from home, his relationship with his mother became strained. He said, “I couldn’t face her until I made something out of myself. I couldn’t go back home as a nobody.” But as a self-proclaimed mama’s boy, The Weeknd says, “Everything good, I get from my mother.”This deep bond with his mother is likely what contributed to his desire to purchase her a home and share his success with her in a permanent way. New Relationships Some of The Weeknd’s most notable

romantic relationships include model Bella Hadid, actor/singer Selena Gomez, and model Yovanna Ventura. Bella Hadid This beautiful model and The Weeknd reportedly met and clicked in April 2015 at Coachella. Though The Weeknd approached Bella with professional reasons in mind—he wanted her to be on the cover of B eauty behind the M adness —it was clear they were romantically involved when they were spotted holding hands at New York Fashion Week in September. In February 2016, the duo made their red carpet debut at the 58th Grammy

spotted having dinner in Los Angeles and sharing kisses. The two made their debut as a couple on the MET Gala’s red carpet in May. Selena underwent surgery for a kidney transplant over the summer, and The Weeknd scheduled his S tarboy Tour around the surgery so he could spend time with her. The couple was often spotted on extravagant dates to museums and on vacations around the world during their relationship. They later broke up in October 2017, due to the fact they both had increasingly busy schedules.

Bella Hadid

Selena Gomez

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The Weeknd