1. The Weeknd was born Abel Tesfaye in Scarborough, Ontario, on February
16, 1990. He is of Ethiopian descent. He grew up listening to a variety of
music genres, including soul, hip hop, indie rock, and post-punk. His
parents weren't around in his early life so his grandmother took care of
him. Abel speaks fluent Amharic; it was the first language he learned. He
dropped out of school at the age of 17, adopted the name The Weeknd
because he left one weekend and never came home.
A relatively new artist that owes his success to the internet and the artist
who recognised him and helped with his success Drake. His music is
predominately about his struggles with depression, drugs, alcohol and
relationships involving him procrastinating and sharing his feelings.
2. SIMILAR ARTIST’S
FRANKOCEAN
Frank ocean is similar to The Weeknd because
he tends to sing about love and the hardship of
relationships he also talks about sexuality and
he recently came out as homosexual and he
talks of the solitude and loneliness he felt.
Whilst at the same time he is into drugs,
partying and showing his wealth. Both artists
have there own individual style and they both
sing of self reflection and social commentaries.
They both are controversial artists with
worldwide success.
Another upcoming artist is Party next door,
they are both signed to the ‘OVO sound’
music group. He is somewhere between
Drake and The Weeknd in the pace of his
performance. He likes to show his wealth
and women are the often the subject of his
music and they all feel part of the gangster
movement. The party next door tends to
come across more masculine
3. The website is
consistent with The
Weeknds general
colour scheme of
black and white it
gives it a clean
orderly feel.
All the tabs on the page either take you to his music or shop where he can sell merchandise and music this is to maximise
the profit the artists makes and increase fan base. The tabs allow you to access the artists social media which is good for
viral advertising and to communicate with his fans. Its also a good way for the Artist to inform his fans on tour and release
dates. It is laid out in a blog format with a series of pictures mainly of his clothing brand, women in provocative clothing or
things relating to tour dates the lack of text fit with the fact The Weeknd is very expressive in an artistic way.
The images on the
blog are of him
performing showing
the artist is good live
however they all
have filters or
lighting effects which
seem very artistic
and perceptive that
all show clear
emotion of sincerity
his love for women.
The red filter adds
intensity and gives
The weeknd an evil
god like look.
His clothing
line is also
advertised
through
pictures this
coincides with
the feel that
The Weeknd is
heavily
dependent on
his unique
style and his
XO fanbase.
There is many
pictures of
unclothed women
as The Weeknd sees
the female body as
art although he has
quite a sadistic view
for women but he
sees the importance
of a good women in
the life of a man. He
sexualises women
but his image is
invented by the lust
women have for
him.
4. ALBUM RECORD
COVER
The Weeknd seems to have a strange view on women and the way he can
take there dignity and value because She is clearly suffering from the party
before she is wearing the same outfit with a dull filter and has experienced a
sex, drink and drug fuelled night. Thursday is signified by the party balloons
and woman in the outfit as the day of the party and The Weeknd trademark
font has been used for the title. Unusually the track list is on the front
showing the way The Weeknd is usually unique and the album is
predominately on digital copy. The balloon once again also the female in the
picture is behind it, balloons signify a party but also an emptiness showing
The weeknd likes to party but after he feels alone. You can again recognise
The Weeknds font as the larger text in the screen suggesting he defines the
content of the album.
There is a female with her hands around the weeknd this is showing her
affection towards him also could align with the saying behind every good
man is a good woman she is also better lit than him suggesting she brings
more purity. Binary opposites light vs dark or good vs evil. There is a theme
that women provide comfort or that they can help with the feeling of
depression and solitude. He comes across as very emotionally unstable
because The weekend is avoiding a direct address. He is looking down
towards his left. The direction of his eye line indicates he may be depresses
or procrastinating about something that upsets him The colour scheme is
black and white its very simplistic, things in black and white are said to be
the truth.
