The Weeknd openly sang about his reckless behavior in the past, but he celebrated his 30th birthday in February and simultaneously began a new, more mature era musically with his latest album After Hours.
And it's no coincidence the two coincided with each other: The Weeknd told Variety it all started with some some self-realizations.
“I’m growing and older and wiser and I’m gonna have children eventually," he shared. "I’ve always been self-destructive. I’ve never brought harm to others, my problem was always hurting myself. But at 30 I’ve 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," he added. "Not just a chapter but my second decade.”
Stream After Hours out now.