The Weeknd is one of the biggest musical acts in the world, known for his genre-crossing sound and skillful songwriting. Though the singer shies away from the press, his lyrics often give his audience a glimpse into his personal life, so when his most recent single “Faith” debuted, many wondered about The Weeknd’s religious beliefs.
The Weeknd is Ethiopian Orthodox, though technically he is not actively religious at this time. The Weeknd was raised in a strict household that revolved around his cultural heritage, including his family’s religious beliefs.
Read more below about The Weeknd’s cultural upbringing, the intensity of the Ethiopian Orthodox church, and whether or not “Faith” is actually about religion.
Childhood Creed
The Weeknd was born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye in Toronto, Canada. Though the singer was born inCanada, his parents were Ethiopian immigrants who sought refuge in Canada due to the precarious political situation and famine that plagued the African country in the 1980s.
The Weeknd’s father abandoned the family when Abel was young, leaving The Weeknd to be raised by his mom and grandmother. His family held close to their cultural roots, with The Weeknd learning to speak Ethiopian’s native language, Amharic, before he learned to speak English.
His family also immersed themselves in the music of their home country, and The Weeknd credits that as a big inspiration to his unique sound. Not only that, but the family continued to be practicing members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and The Weeknd had a strict religious upbringing.
Orthodox Observance
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is one of the largest Christian churches in Africa, with around 36 million members, most of whom are in Ethiopia. The church was founded in the 4th century and parted from mainline Christian beliefs, specifically those of its European counterpart, the Eastern Orthodox church.
The Ethiopian Orthodox church has one of the strictest belief systems in the world, adhering to many Old Testament practices, including extended periods of vegan fasting, which The Weeknd also took part in during his childhood.
Fleeing the Flock
Despite his strict upbringing, The Weeknd dropped out of school and left home at 17, where he became homeless and fell into heavy drug use in the years leading up to the release of his first studio album. However, The Weeknd never forgot about his religious upbringing or the church he used to attend.
In 2016, The Weeknd donated $50,000 to St. Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Toronto. It was the church The Weeknd had attended as a child, and members of the clergy and the congregation recalled fond memories of The Weeknd when he was a parishioner, though it had been years since the singer had attended a service.
“Faith” and Faith
In 2020 The Weeknd released the single, “Faith,” with lyrics that contained religious references, as well as discussing addiction issues and a loss of faith. Many incorrectly assumed the song was actually about The Weeknd’s personal spiritual views.
You can see The Weeknd’s video for “Faith” in the YouTube video below.
However, in an interview with Variety, The Weeknd dispelled the rumors, explaining the song was actually about his arrest in Las Vegas, saying, “It’s about the darkest time of my entire life, a time when I was getting really, really tossed up and going through a lot of personal stuff.”
When asked to elaborate on his actual religious beliefs, the singer said, “I dunno,” going on to elaborate, “I’ve always been self-destructive. I’ve never brought harm to others, my problem was always hurting myself. So at 30 I realized I’m genuinely happy, I have my family, my friends, my company, I’m making the smartest music I’ve ever made, and I feel like my career is just starting. This is the beginning of another phase — not just a chapter but my second decade. A song like “Faith,” which is so misleading in the title, the religion aspect of it is … everything is a test, and if you are religious or spiritual you have to go through things.”
Though The Weeknd may not actively be pursuing religion at the moment, it’s clear that his religious upbringing had a major impact on the singer, as did the rest of his cultural background. As the singer becomes more comfortable in the spotlight, fans might just find out more about his personal beliefs in the future.