The Weeknd Covers Complex's [First Interview]

thernbroom

thernbroom

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:wow:

1373856314_complexweekndcover.jpg



The Weeknd first emerged in 2011 and became an instant sensation. His mixtape, House of Balloons, was released as a free download on March 21, 2011 and immediately hailed as a modern classic. In fact, Complex rated it as the best album of that year. By the end of 2011, the singer born Abel Tesfaye had released two more free mixtapes, Thursday and Echoes of Slience. He also gave Drake a big assist on his Grammy-winning sophomore album, Take Care. Yet despite his rising stardom, The Weeknd remained one of the most enigmatic stars of the Internet era. It's hard to find a decent picture of him, much less learn anything about his creative process or his back story: He simply never did interviews.

That is, until now.

As he prepares to release his highly anticipated debut album Kiss Land, The Weeknd granted Complex the exclusive opportunity to speak with him for the first time. Damien Scott (the scribe who penned both of our Drake cover stories) flew to L.A. to meet with the elusive star. We collaborated with his XO team to create a moody, atmospheric cover that complements The Weeknd's music, shot by photographer David Black. In Tesfaye's first interview, he speaks in depth about his work with Drake on Take Care, his admiration for R. Kelly and Portishead, and why his upcoming debut album, Kiss Land, is going to be like a horror movie. The issue goes on sale in August, but you can read the full cover story right now...
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House of Balloons is the most important for me because I spent the most time on it. I didn’t have a deadline for that. As soon as I put House of Balloons out, I let the world know I’m coming out with two more albums this year, so I had my own little deadline. Before House of Balloons, it was all freedom.

House of Balloons was actually supposed to have more songs than it does. I had so many records left, and then Take Care came through. “Crew Love,” “Shot for Me,” and “The Ride” were supposed to be on House of Balloons. I wanted to come out with like 14 records. I felt like “The Ride” was the last one, and it wasn’t done yet. [Drake] heard it and he was like, “This shyt’s crazy.”
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http://www.complex.com/music/2013/07/weeknd-interview-cover-story
 
bigmac

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Whole cover and interview was flames.

Complex rightfully receive slander for their lists. Can't front on their covers though, this shyt was dope.
 
thernbroom

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:demonic:

My favorite of the Trilogy set, which goes against conventional wisdom, is Echoes of Silence.
Really, the last one? Echoes of Silence was made in Montreal. I had a lot of darkness in that city.
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thernbroom

thernbroom

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:heh: drake aint gonna be happy at all when he sees this interview

Yeah, he told me he wouldn’t be able to do the album without me. You can read it on the credits that he thanked me. I don’t know if that’s him being generous, but I gave him a lot of records. I made “Practice.”
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A

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On “Belong to the World,” it sounds like you may have had a serious relationship.
“Belong to the World” is about falling in love with the wrong person. There are some songs where I talk about the same person, but I like to make every song about someone else. Thursday is a conceptual album. Whatever that situation was, I spent the whole album focusing on that situation.

Have you gone through heartbreak before?

I think I did. I’m not sure. Some people think they go through situations and then it hits them like a fukking brick. I hope that I fell in love and I hope that my heart was broken. Because if I didn’t, then I don’t know what I’m about to go through in the next 20 years of my life.


Just how I expected him to be .. his music and misogynistic lyrics paint him out as someone who never really loved someone ever.
 
SHAQAVELLI

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That was a very dope interview. I picked up a ton of new info from that.

Seems like Drake and him are cool :wow:
 
Czerka

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:noah: wish they would ask him about yeezus and if we'll hear any music from those sessions
 
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