The Weeknd Net Worth, Age, Girlfriend, Parents, Height and Family
Last Updated: October 14, 2026
Plenty of singers have a hit or two. Very few have a whole sound you can pick out within a couple of seconds of the first note. Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known to most of us as The Weeknd, is one of them.
He’s a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer and actor, and his rise is a good one to read about. He went from posting songs online without a face or a name to selling out stadiums around the world. Below, we’ve pulled together everything people ask about him, from his age and net worth to his family and relationships.
Table of Contents
- Quick Facts About The Weeknd
- Who Is The Weeknd?
- Early Life and Family Background
- Parents
- Siblings
- Education
- Career Journey
- The Weeknd Net Worth
- Age, Height and Weight
- Spouse and Relationship History
- Does The Weeknd Have Kids?
- Acting and Other Ventures
- Charity and Giving Back
- Controversies
- Awards and Achievements
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Facts About The Weeknd
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Abel Makkonen Tesfaye |
| Stage Name | The Weeknd |
| Age | 36 years old |
| Date of Birth | February 16 |
| Birthplace | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Ethnic Roots | Ethiopian |
| Profession | Singer, songwriter, record producer, actor |
| Net Worth | Estimated $300 million to $600 million |
| Height | Around 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) |
| Weight | Around 70 to 75 kg (154 to 165 lbs) |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Current Partner | Simi Khadra |
| Children | None |
| Parents | Makkonen Tesfaye and Samrawit Hailu (Samra) |
| Siblings | None, he is an only child |
| First Language | Amharic |
Who Is The Weeknd?
The Weeknd changed how modern pop and R&B sound. His music is dark and moody, the kind of thing you’d put on for a late night drive through a city full of neon. Fans connect with that feeling straight away.
According to Britannica, he began as a mysterious online artist and grew into a global headliner. These days, his name sits alongside the biggest in the business.
One small detail people tend to love is the spelling of his stage name. He dropped the extra “e” from the word weekend, reportedly to avoid a clash with an existing band. It’s a tiny choice, but it shows how carefully he built his image from day one.
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Early Life and Family Background
Abel grew up in Scarborough, a neighbourhood in the Toronto area. It wasn’t a glamorous place to start out, and money was often tight at home.
Ethiopian culture was part of everyday life for him, from the food to the music. That blend of Canadian city living and Ethiopian roots gave him a view of the world you can still hear in his songs.
A Childhood Held Together by Women
His mother and his maternal grandmother raised him. When his mother had to work several jobs at once, it was his grandmother who kept the house steady.
The Borgen Project points out that this upbringing helps explain why he later spoke about hunger and hardship with such feeling. For him, those weren’t distant causes. They were close to home.
Parents
His parents are Makkonen Tesfaye and Samra Tesfaye, who is also known as Samrawit Hailu. Both left Ethiopia for Canada in the late 1980s, hoping to build a better life.
The two never married and went their separate ways soon after Abel was born. His father stayed mostly out of the picture, so the weight of raising him landed on his mother.
She worked in nursing and catering, and she studied at night school on top of it all. When you picture those long days, it’s not hard to see where his work ethic comes from.
Siblings
The Weeknd is an only child, as noted on Wikipedia. A few fan pages have claimed otherwise over the years, but nothing credible backs that up.
He has talked in interviews about feeling lonely as a kid and wishing he had a brother to talk to. It’s a small confession, though it changes how you hear some of his songs.
Plenty of fans point to that loneliness as a quiet thread running through his music. Once you know it, themes of isolation and longing make a lot more sense.
Education
School never really suited him. Abel went to high school in Toronto but left before graduating, because music had a stronger pull than the classroom.
He moved out at a young age and lived on his own while he worked on his sound. Money was limited, the future was unclear, and there’s no record of him ever earning a college degree.
That was a real gamble. Still, the studio became his classroom. He learned by writing, recording, getting things wrong and trying again, and the results speak for themselves.
Career Journey
The Mystery Years
At the start, Abel posted songs on YouTube without showing his face or sharing his name. Listeners had no idea who the voice belonged to, and that secrecy made people even more curious.
Soon he released three free mixtapes called House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence. Critics were stunned by how polished and dark they sounded, and the internet could talk about little else.
The Big Breakthrough
Drake backed him early on, and he signed with Republic Records. The three mixtapes were then packaged together as a compilation album called Trilogy, as covered by Britannica.
That release brought him into the mainstream for the first time. After it, things moved quickly.
Albums That Defined Him
His debut studio album, Kiss Land, introduced his moody style to a wider crowd. It was a bold opening, even if it only hinted at what came next.
Beauty Behind the Madness followed and gave the world “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills.” Then Starboy arrived and kept him comfortably at the top of the charts.
After that, he turned toward retro synth sounds and bigger, story led concepts. After Hours brought us “Blinding Lights,” a song that broke records and seemed to follow everyone around for months. Dawn FM carried the same cinematic mood even further.
His most recent major project is Hurry Up Tomorrow. If you’d like to trace the whole path, Billboard has a full timeline.
The Super Bowl Moment
In February, he headlined the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show, and fans still bring it up all the time. Reports say he put a large chunk of his own money into the production, which gives you a sense of how seriously he treats his live shows.
The Weeknd Net Worth
Let’s get to the number most people came here for. The Weeknd’s net worth is estimated at somewhere between $300 million and $600 million, depending on which tracker you trust.
That’s a wide gap, and there’s a reason for it. Celebrity wealth is hard to measure from outside, particularly when private investments and catalog deals are involved, and every site counts things a little differently.
Touring Money
Live shows are his biggest earner. He makes roughly $90 million a year from touring alone, which is a staggering amount for one revenue stream.
His After Hours ‘Til Dawn Tour went past the $1 billion mark, making it one of the highest grossing tours ever by a solo artist, according to CNBC.
Streaming and Royalties
“Blinding Lights” has racked up billions of plays and shows no sign of slowing down. Each stream adds a little, and across a full catalog those little amounts become very large ones.
His older songs hold their audience too, so his back catalog keeps working for him long after release.
The Catalog Deal
Late last year, he reportedly agreed a deal with Lyric Capital involving a stake in his music catalog, with a reported value of up to $1 billion. Moves like that show how much the industry believes in his songs for the long run.
It also helps explain why some net worth estimates sit so far above others.
Earnings and Rankings
He was named among the highest paid musicians of the past year, earning an estimated $298 million. He also landed on the Forbes Iconoclast 50 list.
Then there’s his film work, brand partnerships and his own label, XO, all adding more on top. His income comes from many directions at once.
Age, Height and Weight
The Weeknd is 36 years old. He was born on February 16 in Toronto, Ontario, according to Britannica.
He’s commonly reported to stand around 5 feet 11 inches, or about 180 cm. His weight is often listed at roughly 70 to 75 kg, which is about 154 to 165 lbs.
A quick note on those body measurements: they come from media and fan estimates rather than official statements, so think of them as a rough guide.
Spouse and Relationship History
The Weeknd is not married. He’s a private person who prefers to keep most of his love life away from the spotlight.
His current partner is DJ and entrepreneur Simi Khadra. The two have been linked for a few years now and have been seen out together in public.
His Dating Timeline
Here’s a quick look at the best known names from his past and present.
| Partner | Period | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Alice Ustinova | Early days | A relationship from before he became a global star. She also worked on some of his early visuals. |
| Bella Hadid | On and off over a few years | Their red carpet debut came at the Grammys, and the romance inspired parts of his music. |
| Selena Gomez | About 10 months | A very public romance with a Met Gala debut, international trips and plenty of mutual support. |
| Simi Khadra | A few years and counting | DJ, influencer and entrepreneur who has been seen with him in public. |
If you want more detail, People’s complete dating history and Hollywood Life both go deeper.
Rumoured Connections
Yovanna Ventura was briefly linked to him soon after his split from Selena Gomez. It was short and never turned into anything official.
Angelina Jolie was also seen having dinner with him, which set the rumour mill going. It was never confirmed as a romance.
Does The Weeknd Have Kids?
No, he doesn’t have any children. He has never been a father, and there are no confirmed reports saying otherwise.
He told People that he wants a family eventually, and that becoming a dad would shape his music in a big way. For now, his attention stays on his career and his tours.
Acting and Other Ventures
Stepping Onto the Screen
His feature film debut came in Uncut Gems. Critics noticed how natural he looked on screen, even in a small role.
He later co created, produced and starred in the HBO drama series The Idol. It was an ambitious project, though the response was mixed.
Beyond Music and Film
He also runs XO, his own label and brand, which backs other artists as well as his own work. He clearly thinks like a business owner as much as an artist.
Plenty of stars stay in one lane. Abel keeps building in several.
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Charity and Giving Back
He serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme. The role ties neatly back to his own childhood and his mother’s struggles.
He has supported food relief efforts for people in need, including communities connected to his Ethiopian roots. It gets far less attention than his chart success, yet it clearly matters to him.
Controversies
The Idol Backlash
The Idol drew heavy criticism soon after it was announced. A Rolling Stone report claimed the production went off track after the original director left, and that the story drifted toward more explicit material.
Tesfaye pushed back at first, then defended the series at the Cannes premiere, describing it as a dark, daring fairy tale about the music industry. Critics were mostly harsh, and the show ended after a short run, as covered by BBC Culture.
The Stage Name Debate
For a long time, he spoke about wanting to “kill The Weeknd” and go back to using his birth name. He even changed his social media names and hinted that Hurry Up Tomorrow would close the chapter.
Then came a twist. During a concert in Stockholm in August, he told fans he had changed his mind and didn’t like how retirement felt. He confirmed he’s keeping the name, as reported by The News International.
Awards and Achievements
Over the course of his career, he has collected 4 Grammy Awards, 20 Billboard Music Awards and 22 Juno Awards, based on Wikipedia. Not many artists can point to a trophy shelf like that.
Beyond the awards, there’s the billion dollar tour, the long chart life of “Blinding Lights” and a Super Bowl halftime slot. Together they make a strong case that his run is far from over.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is The Weeknd?
He’s 36. His birthday is February 16, and he was born in Toronto, Ontario.
What is The Weeknd’s net worth?
Most estimates land between $300 million and $600 million. The bulk of it comes from touring, streaming and a big catalog deal.
Is The Weeknd married?
Not at the moment. He’s single on paper, though he’s been linked for a few years with DJ and entrepreneur Simi Khadra.
Who are The Weeknd’s parents?
His parents are Makkonen Tesfaye and Samrawit Hailu. Both moved from Ethiopia to Canada, and his mother raised him with help from his grandmother.
Does The Weeknd have siblings?
No, he’s an only child. He’s said that he sometimes wished for a brother growing up.
Does The Weeknd have children?
He doesn’t, though he has said he’d love to start a family someday.
What was The Weeknd’s first language?
Amharic. He picked it up from his grandmother, who helped raise him.
Is The Weeknd still using his stage name?
Yes. He talked about retiring it for a while, then changed his mind and decided to keep it.
Spotted something that needs correcting or updating? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll take a look.
