Quote of the Day by The Weeknd: ‘If you can create something that can make people feel…’

Quote of the Day: Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, professionally known as The Weeknd, is a Canadian singer. He was born on February 16, 1990, in Toronto, Ontario, to Ethiopian parents.

He is known for his mixtapes "House of Balloons," "Thursday," and "Echoes of Silence," and the albums "Kiss Land" (2013), "Beauty Behind the Madness" (2015), which included the mega-hit "The Hills," "Starboy" (2016), "My Dear Melancholy" (2018), "After Hours" (2020), "Dawn FM" (2022), "The Idol" (2023), and "Hurry Up Tomorrow" (2025), the latter two of which also represent his acting roles in The Idol (2023) and Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025), respectively, according to IMDb.

The Weeknd has built a global persona. According to IMDb, he speaks fluent Amharic. He came up with the song “In the Night” in Marilyn Monroe’s former bedroom, a detail that adds to the mythology surrounding his music-making. According to IMDb, he is the first artist to hold the top three positions on the Billboard Hot R&B chart at the same time.


Quote of the Day by The Weeknd: “Why can't I paint a vivid picture in my lyrics? Art is art. If you can create something that can make people feel, then you are an artist.”

Meaning of Quote of the Day: In this quote, The Weeknd is defending creative freedom and challenging narrow definitions of what art should look or sound like. When he says, “Why can’t I paint a vivid picture in my lyrics?" he is comparing songwriting to painting. Just as a painter uses colours and brushstrokes to create imagery, a musician or lyricist uses words, emotions, and storytelling to create mental images and emotional experiences for listeners.

The phrase “paint a vivid picture” suggests detailed, intense, and sometimes raw imagery. His question implies that some critics may feel his lyrics are too explicit, dark, or emotionally intense. He is pushing back against that criticism, arguing that lyrics should not be restricted simply because they are bold or provocative.

The quote of the day also defines art by its emotional impact rather than by technique, genre, or subject matter. For him, the true measure of artistry is the ability to evoke emotion—whether that emotion is joy, sadness, discomfort, nostalgia, or excitement.

In essence, The Weeknd is saying that art should not be censored by expectation—if it genuinely makes people feel something, it fulfils its purpose.