On Saturday, July 26, The Weeknd was awarded the Key to the City and honored with “The Weeknd Weekend” by the City of Toronto.
According to a release, the honors were presented at a private ceremony attended by the Mayor of Toronto, Olivia Chow, youth from the Boys & Girls Club of West Scarborough and students from the singer’s alma mater, Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute.
“Born in Toronto, Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye represents the best of our city,” said Chow in a statement. “From Scarborough to the global stage, he has reshaped modern R&B music as a multi-platinum, Diamond-certified artist while using his platform to create a lasting impact for Toronto and around the world.”
“It feels good to be home.”
“I’m deeply honored to receive the Key to the City,” the songwriter said in a statement. “It feels good to be home. Toronto is where I found my voice, and I’m committed to helping the next generation find theirs.”
Tesfaye also announced that he’d be supporting the Boys & Girls Club of West Scarborough and his former high school, Birchmount Park, to provide youth “with the means to unlock their full potential.” He agreed to revitalizing the basketball court and building a mobile recording studio for the youth organization. The goal is to bring a dedicated dance and arts studio and a sensory room for students with development disabilities to the Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute and more.
The hitmaker was raised in the suburb of Scarborough. His early experiences in Toronto shaped his music and identity. From anonymously uploading songs online in 2010 to his first live performance at the Mod Club in 2011, his path to international acclaim began in his hometown.
His early mixtapes, including House of Balloons, helped define the alternative R&B genre. In 2021, he became the first Canadian artist to solo headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
Tesfaye will soon return home for a string of Toronto performances for his After Hours til Dawn summer tour. The tour, which features Kaytranda and Mike Dean, kicks off August 7.