So, if you’re a fan of the Weeknd like me, you’re probably pretty familiar with the many musical phases that have taken place throughout the popular artist's career, and how these phases have gradually placed him in the spotlight. But let's take a walk down memory lane and see exactly how the Weeknd went from an unknown guy from Canada to a worldwide sensation.

What many people don’t know is that the Weeknd began as an anonymous Youtuber in 2011 merely trying to get his music out there rather than revealing the face behind the smooth, edgy voice with vocals that have been compared to Michael Jackson’s. Of the songs featured on the Weeknd’s YouTube channel was the slow track, “What You Need.” And because no face was attached to the name “the Weeknd,” nobody even knew if this artist was a band or an individual artist, which added a mysterious essence to his image that only caused his new-found fans to gravitate to him more. That same year, the world was introduced to the mix-tape “House of Balloons,” which became greatly popular and made people begin to wonder who the Weeknd really was. There were no interviews, no pictures for the public to see, or any sort of media presence. After “Thursday” and Echoes of Silence” were released, the Weeknd decided to make these into one album with some extra songs called “Trilogy.” Shortly after, Abel Tesfaye’s face starts to become more prominent in the media. His Vevo page that holds all of his music videos began to be viewed by millions, and pictures of him were all over. Because his next album, “Kiss Land,” in 2013 didn’t do as well, he got some help from his record company in crafting songs and perfecting his sound as well as image.

And then, the Weeknd starts to go mainstream/pop. “Love Me Harder” with Ariana Grande became a huge hit in 2014. Then, the song, “Earned It,” is released as a part of the Fifty Shades of Grey playlist. I remember thinking that I respected the Weeknd for sticking with his original sound, but it began to seem like the Weeknd was moving towards selling out. Then “The Hills” was released during the summer of 2015. It was dark and edgy yet catchy, and the Weeknd really began to set himself apart in a very public way, as the album where this hit song is found, “Beauty Behind the Madness,” won a Grammy for best urban contemporary album. “Earned It” also was rewarded a Grammy for best R&B performance that same year. “Can’t Feel My Face,” the ultimate pop track from summer 2015, was also a huge hit. You could never turn on your radio without hearing the upbeat track blare through your speakers. But I remember thinking how different the sounds of these songs were. On one hand, it was kind of cool that the Weeknd proved to be such a diverse artist, but it also made me question what direction he was truly making in his career. It seemed like he was selling out based on how much his sound and image were changing.

Anyway, back to the timeline. Busy time for the Weeknd. In 2016, he was featured on a bunch of collaborations with popular artists, and “Starboy” was released. As for the collaborations on this album, we all remember how catchy his collaborations with Lana Del Rey (one of my favorite collaborations, for sure), Kendrick Lamar and Daft Punk were. “I Feel It Coming” was upbeat, fun, and catchy—an undeniable hit. There were a few songs, “Party Monster,” for example, that felt truer to the Weeknd’s original sound. But it still felt like the Weeknd didn’t really know where he was going with his career, and that he was changing to become more mainstream. He was featured on a few other artists' singles during 2017, including joining up with rapper, Nav. He took a bit of a break releasing new music after that, and in early 2018 it was announced that he would headline the popular desert music festival in Indio, California, Coachella. So, naturally, fans were anticipating his next album release which would probably be released before he headlines Coachella in April.

And then, on Thursday, March 29, 2018 the Weeknd dropped his newest album, “My Dear Melancholy,” with an image of his face, which is partially masked by a shadow on the cover. My first reaction to the album was very positive. The original Weeknd that we fell in love with when “Trilogy” was released is back. The album is emotional and contains that smooth, slow, edgy sound that is so unique. Is it a coincidence that this album was released shortly after the Weeknd’s breakup with Selena Gomez? Probably not. The album is even thought to have many references to not only Selena Gomez, but also his other ex, Bella Hadid. Even though the album only has six songs, each one is powerful and truly reminiscent to the Weeknd that caught our attention so many years ago. It’s an awesome experience to listen to this album from start to finish. Undoubtedly, “My Dear, Melancholy,” is one of my favorite albums of 2018.