We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about The Weeknd, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more riveting facts about the 25-year-old musician that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you learn!
Number Eight: His Hair Has a Meaning. The Weeknd has said that his hair was inspired by artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. He has been growing it out for over four years, and he only shampoos it occasionally.
Number Seven: He Is a Total Ladykiller. Since last spring, The Weeknd has been romantically linked to model Bella Hadid. Considering that his music is widely considered to be some of the best bedroom music currently available, his relationship with Hadid has been surprisingly mellow.
Number Six: He Considers Drake Family. According to an interview he did, The Weeknd and Drake are very close. Drake has even said, “We’re definitely a family,” when talking about The Weeknd. He went on to say, “It’s a Toronto thing.”
Number Five: He Screwed Over His Producer. Well, this depends on who you ask. Jeremy Rose did an interview with Vice that implies he produced the first three of The Weeknd’s tracks but did not receive credit. Rose and The Weeknd parted ways after Abel reportedly did not let Rose have any creative input.
Number Four: He’s Not Afraid of Genre-Bending. The Weeknd began as a small production, but he’s no longer afraid of “selling out.”
Number Three: He Looks Up to Michael Jackson. The Weeknd has been compared to Michael Jackson, and he even covered one of his songs – “Dirty Diana.” He also relates in another way. Jackson’s song “We Are the World” was written for Ethiopia, and The Weeknd has a lot of connections to that.
Number Two: He Started Smoking Weed When He Was Young. The Weeknd first smoked weed when he was just 11 years old, and many people speculate that the “XO” associated with the “XO Crew” stands for ecstasy and oxycontin.
Number One: He Lives in a Haunted House. The house that The Weeknd rents in the Hollywood Hills is reportedly haunted, and he has said, “I’ve had sleep paralysis. I hear voices sometimes. I heard the Hills are over Indian burial ground. But maybe it’s the wind.”