The Weeknd: breakthrough star of synth-laden R&B

Emerging from the underground scene in 2011, singer Abel Makkonen Tesfaye has quickly become the name on everyone's lips in the music world. With synth-pop making a welcome comeback in recent years, The Weeknd's use of heavy bass beats, framed by the sweet sounds of his pitch-perfect falsetto, instantly caught the attention of avid fans of the genre, before a duet with Ariana Grande launched him into the mainstream.

Now one of the biggest pop stars in the world, he is in high demand; with tracks such as "The Hills", "Starboy" and "I Can't Feel My Face" topping the charts in both the UK and US. After collaborations with Future and Lana Del Rey rumours of an upcoming tour persist, so keep your eyes peeled for The Weeknd tickets at StubHub. 

The Weeknd: from Youtube to global superstardom

Inspired by the likes of pop superstars Prince and Michael Jackson while growing up in Scarborough, Toronto, Tesfaye dropped out of school and began uploading demo tracks to YouTube anonymously. Word spread, and the material received positive attention from both the media and fellow musicians. Off the back of this initial success, Tesfaye released a nine-song mixtape, House of Balloons, which would later be repackaged as part of The Weeknd's platinum 30-track compilation album Trilogy. Both Drake and Ariana Grande championed the musician, with the former asking Tesfaye to feature on his 2011 album Take Care.

Big name labels soon began to take notice and after signing with Republic Tesfaye released debut album Kiss Land in 2013, alongside making appearances at Coachella Festival and as a support act on Justin Timberlake's tour. Single "Earned It" was released as the lead song from the soundtrack to the 2015 film Fifty Shades of Grey, while "The Hills" and "Can't Feel My Face" marked the singer's move into the mainstream and received critical acclaim across the board. Album Beauty Behind the Madness then hit the number one spot in five countries and fully established the artist as a superstar in the making.

2016's Starboy – another number one album in multiple countries – features guest appearances from the likes of Daft Punk and Kendrick Lamar and was supported by six singles: "Starboy", "I Feel It Coming", "Party Monster", "Reminder", "Rockin'" and "Die for You". 

Similar artists to The Weeknd

After you've grabbed The Weeknd tickets, take a look at some of the other artists listed at StubHub UK. Lovebox festival brings the best and brightest of grime, hip-hop, house, R&B and techno to London's Victoria Park every July, while Tinie Tempah always puts on a fantastic show.