The Weeknd has found the silver lining in having to postpone his After Hours tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I have been more inspired and creative during the pandemic than I might normally be while on the road,” the Canadian singer told tmrw.
“The pandemic, the Black Lives Matters movement and the tensions of the [U.S.] election have mostly created a sense of gratitude for what I have and closeness with the people near me.”
In March, The Weeknd will celebrate the 10th anniversary of his debut mixtape House of Balloons. The singer, who turns 31 in February, reflected on his career.
“My natural singing voice was inspired and shaped by Ethiopian music. The older I got, I was exposed to more music, and my voice became a chameleon going into different characters with each album,” he explained. “By following my own path and breaking industry norms, it seems to be influencing others.”
The Weeknd said one thing hasn’t changed over the last decade. “I was laser focused back then and I’m laser focused right now,” he said. “I feel like I spent the last 10 years creating a sound and most of my career I’ve either been running away from it or duplicating it.”
The Toronto native described After Hours as “the perfect piece of art for me to show my tenure in the industry.” The album, though, was not recognized in the Grammy nominations announced last month – prompting The Weeknd to tweet: “The Grammys remain corrupt,” tweeted The Weeknd. “You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…”
The special tmrw ‘zine dedicated to The Weeknd is available for about $24 CAD here.