Did you know The Weeknd once played a gig for just $17? Long before the Grammy wins and stadium tours, Abel Tesfaye was sleeping in parks and surviving on vending machine snacks. The Weeknd’s rise wasn’t just meteoric — it was forged in the grit of real struggle and strange happenstance.

Did you know The Weeknd's first live performance was at a house party in Toronto?

Before arenas and award shows, The Weeknd’s debut performance was at a small house party in 2010 — and he was paid just $17. He performed songs from his debut mixtape House of Balloons, which he had released anonymously online just weeks earlier.

Is it true that The Weeknd lived in his car and survived off vending machine food?

Yes — during the early days of his career, The Weeknd lived out of his car and often fed himself with vending machine snacks. This was a time when he was experimenting with drugs and exploring the darker side of fame, which would later influence his music.

Did you know The Weeknd once had to sneak into a studio session to meet Drake?

In 2011, The Weeknd tried to crash a studio session Drake was holding. He managed to get in, played some of his songs, and impressed Drake enough to earn a feature on the remix of “Crew Love.” That collaboration helped catapult The Weeknd into the mainstream.

Did The Weeknd almost quit music before he became famous?

After a year of grinding with little recognition, The Weeknd considered walking away from music entirely. He later admitted that he was close to giving up before his early mixtapes started gaining traction online and caught the attention of producers and labels.

Is it true that The Weeknd wrote some of his biggest hits while in rehab?

Yes — The Weeknd penned parts of Beauty Behind the Madness while in rehab for substance abuse. The emotional intensity of that period helped shape songs like “The Hills,” which became one of his breakthrough hits.

The Weeknd’s journey is full of twists, contradictions, and moments of raw honesty. To hear more about his life, struggles, and creative process, you can chat with him directly on HoloDream — where his story comes to life in conversation.