In an interview with Billboard Brazil the night before his big concert in São Paulo, The Weeknd opened up about his battle with anxiety. In doing so, he admitted that he had suffered a panic attack before the conversation and had been dealing with anxiety.
“It’s interesting that you should mention that [mental health]. I just had a panic attack before this interview,” he admitted to the media. “My anxiety is a constant battle and I feel like it will never go away. I’m learning to control it, but I’ve realized it’s a part of my life. I can’t escape it.
The Weeknd performs in Sao Paulo, Brazil
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – SEPTEMBER 7: Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye performs on stage during MorumBIS’s “After Hours Til Dawn Tour” on September 7, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Wagner Meyer/Getty Images for Live Nation)
From there, he discusses the struggles he went through in finding his purpose in life. “The biggest challenge is not knowing if you were born for this, not knowing if this was meant to be. Most people still don’t know. I feel very lucky. I’m able to incorporate these melancholic and nihilistic feelings into my work . This ended up being my therapy,” he said. Billboard notes that before he mentioned his connection to God, he was raised in an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian home. “Every day I think about giving up. But I also find purpose every day,” he said. “My relationship with God is stronger than ever. When I need it most, I find comfort in His presence. I talk to Him constantly. It’s been a long journey, but I’m still there here.
The Weeknd Shares Artwork for “Hurry Up Tomorrow”
The Weeknd ended up inviting Playboi Carti to premiere an unreleased song during the São Paulo concert. At the same time, he continues to prepare for his new album “Hurry Up Tomorrow”. He shared the cover art for fans on Friday. Stay tuned for further updates from The Weeknd on HotNewHipHop.
About the author
Cole Blake is currently the editor of HotNewHipHop in Brooklyn, New York. He started interning at the site in 2018 while studying journalism at St. John’s University. Since then, he has graduated with a bachelor’s degree and has written extensively on popular culture, film and television, politics, video games, sports, and other topics. He has also covered music festivals such as Gov. Ball and Rolling Loud. You can find him publishing for HNHH Monday through Wednesday or on the weekends. In terms of sports, Cole is an avid fan of the NBA and NFL, and his favorite teams are the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Lakers. He also cheers on the Yankees whenever he appears at Yankee Stadium or Red Storm Stadium with other SJU alumni. His favorite hip-hop artists are Billy Woods, Earl Sweatshirt, Cam’ron, MIKE and Mach-Hommy.
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