The Weeknd is opening up concerning the storm of criticism surrounding his controversial HBO collection, The Idol.
Speaking to Variety in a profile printed Friday, January 10, the Grammy-winning artist — born Abel Tesfaye — admitted that whereas the backlash wasn’t simple to disregard, he selected to not take it to coronary heart.
“Of course, it will get to you — I’m not saying I wasn’t affected by it,” he mentioned. “I’m saying I didn’t take it personally. Like, no one’s out to get you, you realize?”
The present, which Tesfaye, 34, co-created with Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, adopted a pop star (performed by Lily-Rose Depp) navigating fame and a poisonous relationship with Tesfaye’s character, a nightclub proprietor and cult chief.
Though The Idol boasted a high-profile forged and price range, its express themes and reported behind-the-scenes turmoil sparked controversy, resulting in its cancellation after one season in 2023.
Despite the fallout, the Starboy hitmaker expressed delight within the collection and its crew. “We had an important forged and crew,” he shared. “Maybe it might have been informed differently, possibly not… Not every thing you set out goes to attach, and that’s high quality.”
As Tesfaye strikes on from The Idol, he’s gearing up for brand new tasks, together with his album Hurry Up Tomorrow, out January 24, and a self-written thriller starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.
“Some folks may hate it, however that’s not why I’m doing this,” he mentioned. “I’m an artist — it’s how I really feel, and that is what I need to say.”
