The Weeknd

The Weeknd wants to be a star. He's hardly ever done an interview and he rarely poses for photos. But the 23-year-old singer, songwriter, and producer, born Abel Tesfaye in Scarborough, Ontario, doesn't plan to languish in obscurity. Nor will he be one of those indie artists who wields tremendous influence but whose names are only known by "purists."

The next test for The Weeknd will be his major label debut, Kiss Land. If the other three albums described life for a young man on the cusp of success, Kiss Land represents the thrill and the horror of tasting and savoring stardom.

Tesfaye knows the world is waiting to see if he can deliver a project anywhere near as good as his first ones. That's why he's been taking his time with the recording, honing in on the strengths and weaknesses of his past work. In his L.A. studio session there are no girls with their noses on his keyboard, no pills or weed scattered about-just The Weeknd in full go-mode, sipping Cabernet, perfecting drums and vocals.

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