Abel Tesfaye, also known as The Weeknd, admitted to using drugs during the time when he was working on his previous albums. He also confessed he still uses drugs when he makes music.
The 26-year-old Ethiopian Canadian opened up to his life in the past and how prohibited drugs such as cocaine, Ketamine, MDMA, cough syrup and mushroom influenced his music. The Weeknd said that when he was working on his previous albums, he thought that hooking on drugs was the only means of being himself.
He grew up not having a father figure. There were only his mom and him. Eventually, when he left high school and moved out from his mother's place, Abel Tesfaye stayed with his friend La Mar Taylor in the latter's one-bedroom flat along Toronto suburbs. It was at this moment when he was heavily into drugs, an addiction that consumed most of his money.
Without his choice of drugs, The Weeknd lamented doing music was very heavy. He likened drugs to a crutch.
"There were songs on my first record that were seven minutes long, rambling-whatever thoughts I was having when I was under the influence at the time," the Rhythm and Blues hit-maker confessed and added that he cannot see himself doing the same thing. But on the same interview, he retracted from his words.
"I'll be completely honest with you. The past couple of albums, I do get back to that," The Weeknd said, "Even on this new album, you have a writer's block. And sometimes, you are like, I can't do this sober."
The fact that The Weeknd has been using drugs can be traced to some of his songs in the previous albums, where he devoted lines about drug addiction. The R&B artist also said he did not seek medical treatment as a trip to therapist is only for the privileged.
