The Weeknd, aka Abel Tesfaye, does not like to share much about himself. As such, he seemed to appear out of nowhere when he performed at Coachella in 2012. However, for those in the know, Tesfaye was writing about life and his love interests and was already incredibly influential in the R&B scene.
What is interesting about Tesfaye is that when he started out, he did not want to be noticed. He only wanted his music to be heard. As such, the mixed tapes that he put out on YouTube never showed his face. For a time, fans did not know if The Weeknd was a band or a single performer. It was this mystery that helped to launch Tesfaye's career.
While this was a "calculated" move on Tesfaye's part, it was also done because The Idol star did not think he was "marketable" because he did not have "the right look." Both of these proved to be wrong given the success The Weeknd has had in the decade since the world learned just who Tesfaye was by changing the rules of conventional R&B forever. He's also earned a decent net worth through his work in music.
The Weeknd Is Worth Around $300 Million
In the 10-plus years that The Weeknd has been part of the R&B scene, he has made a staggering amount of money for himself. But with the talent that Tesfaye has shown since day one, it is not hard to see why his net worth is so high.
Tesfaye is worth $300 million. This fortune came from putting a lot of hard work into the sound of his music, not shying away from darker-sounding R&B music, and then promoting the heck out of it.
Given the fact that Tesfaye was a high school dropout who used illegal substances at one point in his life, even he has to be blown away by what he has accomplished in such a short time.
The Weeknd And Other Celebrities That Use Alter Egos
Not only is Tesfaye recognized financially for his music, but he has also received critical acclaim for his over 70 million records sold. This is because the Blinding Lights singer has been named one of the most awarded artists of all time, being awarded several Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, Juno Awards, and Billboard Awards.
Since Tesfaye is still at the beginning of his career, there is likely more money to be made and more awards to be won.
How The Weeknd Made His Fortune
Given The Weeknd's success with selling over 70 million records, much of his fortune can be attributed to fans purchasing music. However, Tesfaye does much more than put out music. And his net worth is reflected by that.
The first albums that Tesfaye put out were done without the backing of a record label. This is where the Reminder singer got his following from. As such, when his studio albums, Kiss Land, Behind the Madness, and Starboy were released, they were instant hits. This is where a chunk of Tesfaye's money was made.
Of course, to keep selling albums, tours need to be done. And with Tesfaye's loyal fans, he has no problem with selling out arenas and grossing tens of millions in the process. This can be seen in 2022 alone when the Save Your Tears singer grossed over $131 million for his After Hours Til Dawn tour.
More impressively, however, is what Tesfaye did for his 2017 Starboy: Legend of the Fall tour. Before even performing, the I Was Never There singer managed to turn his billions of streamed downloads into an advance of $75 million. And while he made all that money and more, it was clear that Tesfaye's label believed in him and his music to advance a sum that large.
In addition to stadium tours, Tesfaye also performs at festivals. His favorite, Coachella, not only introduced The Weeknd to fans but allows for a good payday as well. With his most recent Coachella paying $8.5 million, that is not too shabby for a day's work.
As if making music about former flames and touring were not enough, Tesfaye has businesses he has collaborated with that bring in some serious cash as well. Those companies, according to Celebrity Net Worth include everything from esports to e-cigarettes, coffee and condoms, and even fashion brands, H&M, Alexander Wang, Puma, Victoria's Secret, and more.
If that was not enough, Tesfaye also has his own fashion and accessory line, XO.
And just because Tesfaye is not insanely successful enough, he has also taken the foray into acting. Most recently with The Idolstarring himself and a cult leader and Lily-Rose Depp, with whom there was a rumored romance.
Wth several upcoming projects, there is no telling what the future has in store for the talented entertainer.
How The Weeknd Spends His Fortune
Tesfaye has a love for real estate. As such, he spends a good deal of his money on properties that are not only breathtaking but unique as well.
One of the first big purchases that Tesfaye made was a home in Hidden Hills, Ca. In 2017, the Creepin' singer spent $18.2 million for the three-acre homestead. After several years, however, Tesfaye wanted to move up.
He sold the home for $19.3 million to none other than Madonna, who now is looking to make a profit on the home herself.
The next big purchase for real estate put the Hidden Hills home to shame. This is because Tesfaye spent $70 million on his current home in Bel Air, Ca.
Purchasing luxury cars is also how Tesfaye spends his money. And with dropping $2.5 million on several different brands of cars from the McLaren P1 to a Bentley Mulsanne, several Mercedes, and more, Tesfaye is driving in style no matter what car he chooses to drive for the day.
Another big indulgence that Tesfaye spends his money on is eclectic art. With everything from sculptures to paintings, photography, and everything in between, Tesfaye does not discriminate in what he buys. As such, his home decor looks much like a modern art gallery, reflecting the Blinding Lights singer's personality to a T.
Tesfaye works hard for his money. That hard work has paid off in spades when it comes to amassing a fortune that very few in the entertainment industry will ever see. Because he is still in the early years of his career, Tesfaye will only continue to grow his fortune with each album he releases.
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