Grammy Award-winning singer and record producer The Weeknd is no stranger to a lavish lifestyle, but things weren't always so. Born Abel Tesfaye in Toronto, Canada, the 33-year-old musician has come a long way since beginning his career on YouTube in 2010. With some spectacular homes under his belt, the world-renowned R&B icon certainly knows a beautiful house when he sees one. That includes his dreamy LA penthouse which just sold after two whole years on the market. Click or scroll on to take a tour...
After selling his mansion in The Hidden Hills (to Madonna no less), The Weeknd set about tracking down a new property to call home, finally settling on the penthouse inside Beverly West, an ultra-luxe boutique high-rise in central Los Angeles. The singer spent $21 million (£16.7m) on the purchase in 2019 but listed it just two years later for $22.5 million (£18m) according to The New York Post because he didn’t use it enough. We can't say we can relate.
After nearly two years on the market, the singer finally managed to offload the property in August 2023 for $18 million (£14.4m), plus an additional $1 million (£800k) for furnishings, to married doctors David and Andrea Feinberg, David being current chairman of Oracle Health, says Mansion Global. That's $3 million (£2.4m) loss for The Weeknd, who's portrait in the hallway gives away his identity as the apartment’s former owner. He sold the pad through Angel Salvador of Beverly Hills Estates. Let's look around...
Bigger than your average mansion, the residence spans an astonishing 8,200 square feet and takes up the entire 18th floor of the 22-storey building, offering panoramic views across the city's glistening skyline. The contemporary 'great room' offers extensive space for entertaining and is packed with stunning artworks, some of which were included in the sale.
From its 11-foot ceilings to its walnut accents, natural stone floors and wall-to-wall glass, the luxurious penthouse is as breathtaking as it is expensive. There are four bedrooms and eight bathrooms, a bespoke kitchen, designed in Italy with top-of-the-line Miele appliances, along with a temperature-controlled 'wine vault' and wet bar, which features this impressive TV wall, which has been fashioned from four 65-inch televisions. Imagine movie nights in here!
Each bedroom is designed according to The Weeknd’s signature clean, pared-back style and features a wide selection of artworks including this Markus Klinko print of David Bowie: The Protector. Full-time residents of the building have access to 24/7 security, no doubt a big draw for the property. Yet such opulence doesn't come cheap and residential charges reportedly mount up to $6,800 (£5.4k) per month, but that must have been a drop in the ocean for the superstar.
No expense has been spared in the penthouse's state-of-the-art bathrooms either. The primary suite offers two vanities and steam showers, while this bathroom, clad in walnut panelling, features a soaking tub with views across the country club. And while Beverly West has no end of plush amenities, the apartment itself features a private home gym so the new owners can work out in perfect privacy. The Weeknd is probably happy to have finally sold the home even at a $3 million (£2.4m) loss. He can focus on his other homes!
Read more: Where did it all begin for Abel Tesfaye AKA The Weeknd? Let's go back to the start...
With a net worth of around $100 million (£80.2m), it's no wonder The Weeknd has plenty of cash to spend on real estate. Over the years the 'Starboy' singer has lived in some pretty perfect properties, including a 5,000-square-foot apartment in Manhattan. Having sold his luxurious LA penthouse, the Grammy Award-winner now resides in his $70 million (£55.4m) mega-mansion in Bel-Air. But first, let's take a look back at where it all began...
The Weeknd grew up in Scarborough, a community on the outskirts of central Toronto. Born to Ethiopian parents who moved to Canada in the 1980s, the singer had a challenging start in life, something that he's often hinted at in his music. Speaking to The Guardian in 2016, the star said: "I didn’t have a father figure in the house. No boys around. Just me and my mom."
At the age of 17, he moved into a one-bedroom apartment with a friend and it was from here that his career took off. The Weeknd's rental, pictured here, has been sealed in the music Hall of Fame thanks to the singer's debut mixtape, House of Balloons. On the breakthrough record that launched his career, The Weeknd revealed the wild parties that took place in the party pad, referring to his 'dark past'.
A few years ago, The Weeknd took his then-girlfriend, Bella Hadid, to visit the property and the supermodel captured the moment on her Instagram Stories. Later in 2020, the singer released his single 'Snowchild', in which a cartoon version of the house is shown at the start of the video. After the lean years spent in this humble rental, things certainly took a turn for the better...
Fans will recognise this glitzy Los Angeles mansion from The Weeknd's iconic 2016 'Starboy' music video. The single, which featured Daft Punk, became a global hit and the singer reportedly sold nearly three million copies around the world. Taking place inside the house, the sinister video showed the singer being kidnapped by a masked attacker. Yet more than that, it highlighted the home's remarkable view and high-end interior.
Designed by architect Zoltan Pali, the gorgeous glass home was completed in 2009 and offers 4,600 square feet of inside space. There are four bedrooms and six bathrooms across the home's three spacious floors, each of which feature wall-to-wall windows with light-diffusing 'fins', which can be opened or closed to provide privacy.
A true architectural masterpiece, the property offers a simple material palette, with white-washed walls, timber accents, concrete floors and steel accessories. Fans may also recognise this sculptural steel staircase from the music video. Ultra minimalist, the bachelor pad also benefits from 1,000 square feet of shaded indoor-outdoor space, with an infinity pool on the ground floor.
Of course, every single room also boasts incredible views of the city and canyon beyond, making it the ultimate home with a view. As well as featuring in 'Starboy', the house has also been used as the set for Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz advertisements. In 2017, it hit the real estate market with a $6.3 million (£5m) price tag.
In 2018, while dating Bella Hadid, The Weeknd began renting this stunning penthouse loft in the star-packed 443 Greenwich Street building in New York City. Over the years the condo building has been home to the likes of Justin Timberlake, Jake Gyllenhaal and Lewis Hamilton, who owns one of the most expensive celebrity homes of all time.
The 5,000-square-foot residence reportedly set the couple back $60,000 (£48k) a month and has been described as 'paparazzi proof'. Spanning three floors, it offers four bedrooms, four full bathrooms and plenty of chic, open-plan living areas that make it perfect for entertaining.
Inside, the stunning penthouse is filled with high-end fixtures and big windows, allowing for light-filled rooms that are both warm and inviting. The Tribeca-based building also offers everything an A-lister could need, including a 71-foot indoor swimming pool, a huge rooftop terrace, a fitness centre and a spa.
The home's highlights include the double-height great room, a beautiful industrial-style kitchen decorated with Calacatta marble and spa-like bathrooms. Yet its best asset has to be the stunning 1,000-square-foot private rooftop deck, which offers spectacular views across Manhattan's skyline. In 2020, after the couple moved out, the mind-blowing penthouse hit the market with a $27.5 million (£22m) asking price.
Despite his persona as the bad boy of R&B, The Weeknd's former Californian mansion is seriously sophisticated. The glossy Hidden Hills compound can be found in an ultra-private gated community that's perfect for VIPs. The 13,391-square-foot residence was built in 2016 and purchased by the singer in July 2017 for a cool $18.2 million (£14.6m). In April 2021, after languishing on the market for over a year, Madonna snapped up the estate for $19.3 million (£15.5m).
Modern and meticulously presented, this is the ultimate party pad. Decked out with large, open-plan rooms, every space leads to the laid-back garden. The cool interior offers a stripped-back colour palette, hardwood floors, white marble and recessed LED Smart lighting.
There are seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, as well as a wine room, fitness studio and screening room. The house also boasts dual master suites with huge sliding doors that lead out to private balconies overlooking the garden below – the perfect spot for morning coffees.
Sitting on a three-acre plot, the garden is also incredibly inviting. There's a zero-edge swimming pool, spa and cabana, as well as a two-bedroom guest house, a basketball court and a luxury five-car auto gallery where The Weeknd once stored all of his favourite toys. Madonna sold the property two years later for $23.5 million (£18.8m) earning herself a $4 million (£3.2m) profit.
When us mere mortals go on a business trip, we tend to book into a local hotel, but when you're a global mega-star, you can afford to stay in style. And that's exactly what The Weeknd did in preparation for his Super Bowl 2021 halftime show. For his visit to Tampa, the musician reportedly rented this dreamy waterfront home. As one of the biggest musical events of the year, the performance lasts around 12 minutes, but can cost more than $10 million (£8m) to organise, Reuters claims.
According to Page Six, the 'Blinding Lights' singer forked out a cool $100,000 (£80k) to stay in the 6,551-square-foot residence, for what was likely less than a week. Located on Tampa's sought-after Davis Islands, the contemporary home was custom built in 2019 and offers six bedrooms and six bathrooms, which was more than enough space for the star and his entire entourage.
Immaculately presented both inside and out, we can certainly see why The Weeknd would want to stay here. Every room benefits from 13-foot ceilings and walls of glass that provide endless views across the bay. Just imagine waking up in this spectacular bedroom! Elsewhere, the waterfront home features a stunning open-plan living space, a chef's kitchen, a custom wine cellar and elevator access to each floor.
Of course, the exterior is equally as mesmerising. Huge sliding doors lead to a gorgeous backyard complete with a swimming pool and dock. There's even a rooftop terrace that faces the water. The property was recently on the market for $9.1 million (£7.3m) but was later removed without securing a buyer.
The star's newest real estate investment is by far his largest and most extravagant to date. Snapped up in a secretive deal for a mammoth $70 million (£55.4m), the lavish spread is nestled in 1.6 acres in one of LA's most sought-after neighbourhoods. What's more, the house enjoys relative seclusion from its neighbours, overlooking the idyllic rolling golf greens of the Bel-Air County Club – not a bad view to wake up to!
According to the Wall Street Journal, Dutch TV personalities Reinout and Danielle Oerlemans, founders of TV production company Eyeworks, were the home's sellers. They reportedly purchased the mansion in 2015, and spent three years expanding it by a staggering 13,000 square feet. But they haven't gone far. The couple are reported to have bought the former home of English filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, which is just across the fairway from their old home.
One of the largest property deals in Los Angeles in 2021 so far, it's not hard to see why The Weeknd was eager to snap up this jaw-dropping mansion. Encompassing a vast 33,000 square feet of accommodation, including nine bedrooms, the prized piece of real estate takes luxury living to the next level. This striking lounge dazzles with a mirrored ceiling, textured carpet and a floor-to-ceiling marble fireplace.
There's plenty of space for The Weeknd to entertain his A-list friends – this formal dining room with its coffered ceiling and mid-century-style aesthetic is the perfect place to host a dinner party. French doors open out onto the terrace, so the star and his guests can enjoy alfresco drinks when the sun goes down.
The plush amenities don't stop there. The home's sprawling square footage also includes an indoor swimming pool, a Turkish-style hammam, gym, movie theatre and even a music studio – an invaluable feature for the musician. Outside, the pristine grounds hold an array of high-end facilities too, from a large infinity-edge pool to a multipurpose sport's court.
And if the interiors look familiar, the home features in the singer’s recent TV show, The Idol, according to Architectural Digest. In the production, the house stands in as the dream home of aspiring pop star Jocelyn, played by Lily-Rose Depp, but the drama received terrible reviews, reports the BBC, and has been cancelled after just one season. Never mind, the star can console himself in the knowledge that he and Taylor Swift are the only stars with 100 million Spotify listeners – and he owns one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in LA!
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