The Weeknd (who just announced 2022 tour dates today) has turned heads for what he turned his head into lately: Over the course of multiple music videos and public appearances, The Weeknd went from looking how he usually does to being covered in bandages to emerging with exaggerated, seemingly surgically-altered features. This is all part of the world The Weeknd has built for his album After Hours, and now he has explained the meaning behind his facial rework.
In a brief interview with Variety, The Weeknd said, “The significance of the entire head bandages is reflecting on the absurd culture of Hollywood celebrity and people manipulating themselves for superficial reasons to please and be validated.” He added of the look’s fit into the narrative of his After Hours videos, “It’s all a progression and we watch The Character’s storyline hit heightened levels of danger and absurdity as his tale goes on.”
He was then asked, “What can we take from the fact that you seem to be intentionally making your face increasingly unattractive while promoting your biggest album?” He responded, “I suppose you could take that being attractive isn’t important to me but a compelling narrative is.”
Check out the full Q&A here.