The Weeknd New Album 2018 Tracks: A Closer Look at Abel Tesfaye's Musical Evolution

In just over a decade, Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfhouse has undergone an extraordinary transformation from relative obscurity to global pop phenomenon. Once known primarily within underground R&B circles for his soulful yet hauntingly raw vocals and darkly atmospheric soundscapes, The Weeknd (as he now prefers to be called) has emerged as a true force of nature in contemporary music.

Born Abel Tesfaye on February 16th, 1990, in Toronto Canada; it was during these formative years that the seeds were sown for his future success. Inspired by icons such as Prince and The Smiths lead singer Morrissey amongst others; young Abel began honing his craft late into each night after finishing school - singing along to records by himself alone under flickering streetlight shadows cast across cold Toronto streets.

Fast forward through years spent releasing mixtape EPs on independent labels like XO Recordings (which he would later found) and eventually signing with Republic Records in 2011; The Weeknd finally had the platform from which his talent could be fully showcased to a wider audience. His debut studio album, 'Believe Me 'Deluxe Edition'', released mere months after inked deal saw him catapult into mainstream consciousness overnight - thanks largely in part due mostly though lead single 'Wicked Games'.

Since then there has been no looking back for Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknnd as he continues releasing critically acclaimed material at breakneck pace. From 2014's melancholic 'Beauty Behind the Beast' through to latest offering 'Dawn FM', every release further solidifies his status not just within R&B but across multiple genres altogether.

But what about those long-rumored beefs and legal battles you might ask? Well, as it turns out; The Weeknd has indeed found himself at odds with certain parties over alleged copyright infringement claims. One such instance involves an electro house duo called Disclosure who have accused Abel of borrowing heavily from their 2011 hit 'Latch' for his own track 'Kaleidoscope' off 2017's 'Starboy'.

And speaking of legal battles; it appears The Weeknd may be facing another lawsuit very soon indeed. According to reports filed earlier this month with Los Angeles Superior Court, Suniel Fox and Leroy Bell - better known by their stage name The xx (no relation) have officially served notice on Abel Tesfaye's management team at Three Six Zero Group Inc., alleging that he has infringed upon the duo's rights in connection with his 2018 EP 'My Dear Melancholy'. Specifically, it is alleged that one particular track from this release - titled 'Call Out My Name' - bears more than passing similarities to The xx's own song of same name.

Whether these claims will stick remains to be seen; however what cannot be denied at present is Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd's enduring ability to court controversy and generate headlines wherever he goes. As his devoted fanbase continues to grow in numbers, one thing becomes increasingly clear - for better or worse; the 32-year-old Canadian crooner will remain firmly entrenched within pop culture discourse for years (if not decades) to come.

So there you have it folks! That concludes our deep dive into The Weeknd's remarkable journey thus far. With a new album on the horizon, fans can only speculate what fresh sonic surprises await us next from this mercurial talent known affectionately as Abel Tesfaye - aka The Weeknd himself. Stay tuned for further updates and news straight from Toronto!

The weeknd new album 2018 tracks