Abel Tesfaye, professionally known as singer “The Weeknd,” reportedly had a record-breaking 2025.
His “After Hours ’Til Dawn” tour, which started in July 2022 and is set to end on Sept. 6, has grossed more than $1 billion as of Nov. 20, according to Live Nation — becoming the highest-earning tour by a male solo artist ever. And with an estimated $298 million in personal earnings, Tesfaye was the highest-paid musician of 2025, topping Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Coldplay, according to Forbes.
Forbes’ estimate includes $77 million in profits from performances and Tesfaye’s billion-dollar catalog partnership with private equity firm Lyric Capital Group. It’s a long way from his early beginnings: At age 19, Tesfaye was working at an American Apparel store to financially support himself while making music on the side, he told NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in May.
While working at the retail store, the Toronto native started releasing music anonymously, he said — not attaching a face or his real name to his songs. Eventually, he noticed his co-workers playing his music in the store.
“That was the validation I needed,” he said. “I’m like, ‘I’m quitting my job. And this is mine ... It’s my full-time life.’”
