What Happened To The Weeknd's Bandaged Face?
By Kristin Myers on November 23, 2020 at 7:10 AM EST
What Happened To The Weeknd's Bandaged Face?
Instagram | theweeknd
The Weeknd shocked audiences when he took the stage during the 2020 American Music Awards with a bloody face wrapped in white bandages.
The Weeknd tied with Roddy Ricch with eight nominations, and ultimately won for Best Soul/R&B Male Artist. He also picked up wins for Favorite Soul/R&B album with “After Hours” and Favorite Soul/R&B Song with “Heartless.”
He unfortunately didn’t nab Artist of the Year, which went to chart topper Taylor Swift.
But What Happened To His Face?
The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, not only showed up on stage to claim the award for “After Hours” with a bandage-wrapped face, but also performed that way, entertaining audiences with “Save Your Tears” and “In Your Eyes” with saxophone legend Kenny G.
Fans will be relieved to hear that The Weeknd, 30, was not physically injured in any way.
Instead, his bloody face was merely the result of make-up in order to warn people about the dangers of drunk driving and show the devastating injuries that could result.
Is That What His Song Is About?
The Weeknd has put out short films for both “After Hours” and “Blinding Lights” to raise awareness about this important issue.
Earlier this year, he explained that his song “Blinding Lights” is about “how you want to see someone at night, and you’re intoxicated, and you’re driving to this person and you’re just blinded by streetlights. But nothing could stop you from trying to go see that person, because you’re so lonely.”
He continued, “I don’t want to ever promote drunk driving, but that’s what the dark undertone is.”
Hasn’t He Done This Before?
Fans who watched the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards in August might remember that The Weeknd sported a bloody nose to the event as well.
His video for “Blinding Lights” won for best R&B song, as well as the coveted Video of the Year award, which he dedicated to justice for Jacob Blake and Breonna Taylor. The video shows him getting beaten up by bouncers before becoming injured in a drunk-driving accident.
He explained that “After Hours” is a concept album from the perspective of a character “losing his mind in Vegas.” He has carried this theme throughout several of his music videos, including the one for “Heartless,” which debuted in September 2019.
Will He Do This At The Super Bowl?
The Weeknd has been selected to headline the 2021 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show, which has previously hosted the talents of Prince, LadyGaga, Beyonce, andJennifer Lopez with Shakira.
The Weeknd tweeted that he was “humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage” but made no mention if he will continue to promote his stance on the dangers of drunk driving.
Although fans undoubtedly support the singer's dedication to this cause, some fans couldn't help but try to lighten the mood.
One fan commented, “damn, when the weeknd said 'I can’t feel my face when I’m with you' he wasn’t joking.”
Another fan poked fun at the singer’s upcoming Super Bowl performance with the caption, “The Weeknd at the Super Bowl Halftime Show” and tweeted a photo of a man wrapped in a full-body cast.
