The Weeknd: From American Apparel to $298M

In 2009, a 19-year-old Abel Tesfaye—better known today as The Weeknd—clocked shifts at an American Apparel store in Toronto's Scarborough neighbourhood. He folded graphic tees, stocked shelves, and helped customers find the right shade of neon leggings, all while quietly recording haunting R&B tracks in his friend’s apartment after hours. Music was his side hustle, a passion project he uploaded anonymously to YouTube under the name “The Weeknd” because he felt embarrassed to show his face. Sixteen years later, in 2025, that same artist topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid musicians with an astonishing $298 million in pre-tax earnings, a figure that reflects streaming dominance, sold-out stadium tours, brand partnerships, and a cultural footprint few can match.

The journey from retail worker to one of the world’s wealthiest entertainers is one of the most striking modern success stories in music. Tesfaye’s 2025 haul—compiled from touring, streaming royalties, music publishing, merchandise, and high-profile endorsements—placed him ahead of Taylor Swift ($278M), Bad Bunny ($265M), and Beyoncé ($210M) in Forbes’ annual ranking, released January 2026. The bulk of his income came from the massive After Hours Til Dawn stadium tour (extended into 2025), which grossed over $350 million globally, plus blockbuster streaming numbers for Dawn FM (2022) and Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025), both of which continued to rack up billions of plays.

The Early Hustle: American Apparel Days

Tesfaye has spoken openly about those formative years. In interviews with Rolling Stone and The New York Times, he recalled working at American Apparel for minimum wage while living in a one-bedroom apartment with friends. “I was broke, man,” he said in a 2015 conversation. “I’d finish my shift, go home, smoke weed, and record until 4 a.m. Then I’d sleep for a few hours and do it all again.” He uploaded his first three mixtapes—House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence—in 2011 without any label backing or promotion. The dark, cinematic sound and mysterious persona quickly caught the attention of Drake, who co-signed him, and the rest is history.

By 2012, he had signed with Republic Records. Trilogy (2012) went platinum, Beauty Behind the Madness (2015) debuted at No. 1 and won two Grammys, and Starboy (2016) produced the global smash “Starboy.” Each album pushed his sound further—R&B evolved into dark-pop, then cinematic synth-wave, then stadium-sized spectacle—while his visual aesthetic (red suits, bandages, bloodied faces) became instantly recognizable.

The Numbers Behind $298 Million

Forbes’ 2025 figure breaks down roughly as follows (based on public reporting and industry estimates):

• Touring: ~$180–200 million (After Hours Til Dawn extension + select festival headlining)
• Streaming & royalties: ~$60–70 million (Spotify Wrapped consistently ranks him in the global top 5)
• Syncs, publishing & master ownership: ~$30 million
• Brand deals (including H&M, Puma, Calvin Klein, and his own merchandise lines): ~$20–30 million

The 2025 payday caps a remarkable decade-plus run during which The Weeknd has sold over 120 million records, amassed 110+ billion streams, and become the first artist to surpass 100 million monthly Spotify listeners (a record he held for much of 2024–2025).

Beyond the Money: Cultural Impact

What makes the story even more striking is how Tesfaye has maintained artistic control and mystique. He famously turned down a reported $100 million+ Super Bowl halftime show deal in 2021 to protest the NFL’s treatment of Colin Kaepernick, then delivered one of the most-watched performances in history the following year. He’s directed short films, executive-produced HBO’s The Idol (controversial but bold), and consistently reinvented his sound without chasing trends.

From folding hoodies at American Apparel to topping global earnings lists, Abel Tesfaye’s arc is a testament to persistence, vision, and the power of staying true to a singular artistic voice. Sixteen years after those late-night recording sessions, the kid from Scarborough has not only made it—he’s redefined what “making it” can look like in the modern music industry.

As he enters his 30s, the question isn’t whether The Weeknd can sustain success; it’s how much further he can push the boundaries of pop, film, fashion, and live spectacle. One thing is certain: the next chapter will be anything but ordinary.

Source - https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/21/how-the-weeknd-went-from-american-apparel-to-highest-earning-musician-of-2025.html

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