The Weeknd, on behalf of his fans, contributed $5 million U.S. to global hunger relief programs this past weekend in Los Angeles, where he wrapped up the first leg of his After Hours ’til Dawn Tour.
The Canadian singer donated $1 U.S. from each ticket sold for his stadium tour as well as proceeds from sales of XO Humanitarian Fund/UN World Food Programme tour T-shirts. Various corporate partners and tour venues added to the total.
The Weeknd launched the XO Humanitarian Fund in March.
“We are deeply appreciative and humbled by The Weeknd's steadfast support, as well as that of his loyal fans and partners," said Barron Segar, World Food Program USA president and CEO, in a release. "Abel is an inspiration to us all, and through his efforts, thousands of families will have food security and hope for a better future."
According to the release, some of the funds will go to “emergency food assistance and the nutritional support of malnourished children and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers in northern Ethiopia.”
The Weeknd has committed €1 from each ticket sold to next year’s concerts in Europe (and £1 for each UK show) as well as the equivalent of $1 U.S. from those on the Latin American leg of his tour.
In 2021, The Weeknd announced he was giving $1 million U.S. to the UN World Food Programme to help feed people impacted by the conflict in Ethiopia. He previously gave $300,000 U.S. to help victims of the Beirut blast and $500,000 from sales of his XO face masks to Scarborough Health Network's COVID-19 Emergency Fund. The singer also gave $500,000 U.S. to various organizations advocating for racial equality and assisting people impacted by the protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd.