The Weeknd Receives Key to the City Before Toronto Concerts: ‘Feels Good to Be Home’

The Weeknd couldn’t love Toronto any harder, and the city loves him right back. Over the weekend, the artist born Abel Tesfaye received a key to the Ontario capital — the place where he grew up — ahead of his four concerts at Rogers Centre.

As shared in a press release on the city’s official website, Tesfaye — whom Mayor Olivia Chow said “represents the best of our city” in a statement — accepted the key in recognition of his contributions to the Toronto area. In addition to donating $500,000 to the Scarborough Health Network during the COVID-19 pandemic and contributing to the University of Toronto’s Ethiopian Studies program, the singer is also the co-founder of HXOUSE, a local non-profit that supports aspiring creatives and entrepreneurs.

“From Scarborough to the global stage, he has reshaped modern music while using his platform to support health and humanitarian causes at home and around the world,” Chow added of Tesfaye. “I am proud to honor one of our city’s greatest artists with a Key to the City to celebrate his contributions to music, society and our culture.”

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“I’m deeply honored to receive the Key to the City,” the hitmaker 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.”

Shortly after the ceremony, Tesfaye kicked off his first batch of After Hours ‘Til Dawn Tour performances in Toronto, performing at Rogers Centre on July 27 and 28. To further celebrate his homecoming, Mayor Chow proclaimed that the weekend of the 26th and 27th would be known citywide as the “Weeknd Weekend.”

After a few U.S. shows, the Idol creator will circle back to Rogers for two more performances on Aug. 7 and 8. The ongoing trek has supported his album trilogy consisting of After Hours (2020), Dawn FM (2022) and Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025), all three of which reached the Billboard 200 top 10.

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