The first concertgoers applauding The Weeknd at small clubs in his Toronto hometown are celebrating Thursday’s (Nov. 12) announcement that he will headline the 2021 Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show.
In the same week Toronto’s Mod Club Theatre, which hosted his first-ever concert in 2011, permanently closed its doors, The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) revealed he’s heading for one of the biggest stages in America.
“We all grow up watching the world’s biggest acts playing the Super Bowl and one can only dream of being in that position,” The Weeknd said in a statement. “I’m humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this year.”
Original XO fans took to Twitter to show how they grew up watching one of the world’s brightest superstars by sharing pictures from when he was an underground Canadian artist.
@SHREKRAP, which fans have speculated to be Chicago rapper Saba, wrote, “THE WEEKND FOR THE SUPER BOWL HALF TIME SHOW. LETS GOOOOOO.” And one Twitter user even synched his No. 1 hit “Blinding Lights” to the “Sweet Victory” performance scene of SpongeBob SquarePants, which made a cameo at the Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show in 2019 when Maroon 5 headlined, featuring guest performers Travis Scott and Big Boi.
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See the best reactions below.
THE WEEKND FOR THE SUPER BOWL HALF TIME SHOW
LETS GOOOOOO
— SHREK KNOWS RAP (@SHREKRAP) November 12, 2020
The only reason im watching the superbowl
— Ahmed Ali (@iaminpainlol) November 12, 2020
10 years ago to the day, The Weeknd was homeless in Toronto trying to establish himself as a local artist with potential.
Today he just announced he’ll be performing the Super Bowl Halftime Show as one of the biggest artists in the world.
Never give up. pic.twitter.com/yNNgpKJfMt
— All Love Hip Hop (@AllLoveHipHop) November 12, 2020
So The Weeknd secured “Blinding Lights” as the Wrestlemania theme song which was set to be in Tampa Bay this past year and now he’s doing the halftime show for this upcoming Super Bowl in Tampa Bay. Look how life works
— armon (@armonsadler) November 12, 2020
THE WEEKND IS PERFORMING AT THE SUPER BOWL
— memory lane (@bitchim999) November 12, 2020
"When your talent is limitless, you belong on the world’s largest stage."
from Mod Club to Super Bowl 
@theweeknd 
pic.twitter.com/c5wvN8B2ZQ
— | BLM STL MV !! (@abeIconda) November 12, 2020
As an OG XO, I can’t put into words how proud I am of Abel! I saw this man grow from an underground artist that nobody knew what he looked like to what he is now, a future super bowl half time show performer. @theweeknd I am so so so proud of you!
— Evie (@EvieCruzXO) November 12, 2020
from a young boy growing up in toronto to one of the biggest most successful artists of our generation and now to perform on the iconic Superbowl stage…so proud of how far you’ve come abel cant wait to see whats next @theweeknd pic.twitter.com/lVkZXwkgsy
— (@abellhours) November 12, 2020
The Weeknd for Super Bowl Halftime Show? SAY LESS pic.twitter.com/QoBrxtpRLG
— Leo James (@leo_kardashian) November 12, 2020
The Weeknd will perform at the #Superbowl halftime show on February 7, 2021.
How it started How it’s going: pic.twitter.com/Ibl3HcXb5M
— Rated R&B (@RatedRnB) November 12, 2020
from a kid performing for the first time in toronto not knowing how big he would get, to being one of the best artist out there performing on one of biggest stages in sports…abel tesfaye, the weeknd.@theweeknd pic.twitter.com/DxEVjD8Poe
— max (@saveyourfaithh) November 12, 2020
can we discuss how the weeknd had the best era this year? from the visuals to the quality music and now the super bowl. yeah no male artist is seeing him this year. //t.co/i3RWeioD3r
— chu (@chuuzus) November 12, 2020
THE WEEKND IS PREFORMING AT THE SUPER BOWL HOLY SHIT
— Giorgia (@gixorgiarose) November 12, 2020
The Weeknd performing at the Super Bowl?
That’s a big W
— DJ PICKLE JUICE (@DJPickleJ) November 12, 2020
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