The Weeknd Talks Michael Jackson & Being Friends With Lana Del Rey In ‘Pitchfork’ Interview

Bianca Gracie | August 31, 2015 2:10 pm
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If you haven’t noticed by now, The Weeknd has transformed from mysterious mixtape crooner to a bonafide pop star — thanks to his new sophomore album, Beauty Behind The Madness.

In a recent interview with Pitchfork, the “Can’t Feel My Face” singer discusses how the album came about as well as working with the likes of Kanye West and Lana Del Rey (on “Tell Your Friends” and “Prisoner,” respectively). The Weeknd also touches on how it feels to now have his tunes top the Billboard charts after all these years. “I’m grabbing the ear of most of the world,” he states.

Read a few highlights below, and click here to check out The Weeknd’s full Pitchfork interview!

On being friends with Lana Del Rey: “Me and Lana have been friends for a long time. I’ve inspired her, she’s inspired me. I feel like we’ve always been talking to each other through our music. She is the girl in my music, and I am the guy in her music. It’s just this ghostly collaboration that feels the most natural on the whole album.”

On Michael Jackson’s influence: “I want [my fans] to know that my music is for them and if, god forbid, anything happened [to me], it would be like a piece of them is gone. That’s what he made me feel. That’s what I want to do. I’m grabbing that side of me and putting it out to the world—and the R. Kelly side, and the Prince side. All three are my inspirations, and you hear all of that on this album.”

On his “Tell Your Friends” collaboration with Kanye West: “He used ‘Devil in a New Dress’ a lot as a reference for that song. Everyone’s a character on my album, and his production, voice, and input is a character, too. There’s so much detail in his sessions, and he definitely helped craft who I’ve been, subconsciously, for the past few years. To actually be with him and talk to him and work with him, it’s just like coming to life.”

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