The Weeknd to Superfans: I See You

With all the talk about superfans and how the music industry needs to better serve an artist’s most loyal followers, The Weeknd took the challenge to heart. Teaming up with Spotify, the artist commandeered an airplane hangar at Santa Monica airport on Tuesday night (Dec. 17) converting the space into an exclusive concert venue. Among those invited were The Weeknd’s top listeners, many of whom lined up from early in the morning to ensure their entrance and a prime viewing spot.

Spotify’s first-ever Billions Club Live is an extension of its Billions Club, which marks the milestone of surpassing one billion streams on the service. Other members of this exclusive club include Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish and Tyler the Creator, but The Weeknd seemed like an obvious choice for an inaugural live event, if for the sole reason that the Toronto-native has more songs (24) in the Billions Club than any other artist. He also holds the title for the most-streamed song currently on the platform (2020’s “Blinding Lights”).

The hangar was transformed into a dark, moody expanse, fitting for The Weeknd’s style of music. Fans went wild when the Grammy-winning singer ascended the catwalk stage, flanked by audience members on all sides. No backup vocalists required, the singalongs were so impassioned — the crowd knew every line, including to his latest singles “São Paolo” and “Timeless” — that they perfectly complemented the singer’s soulful delivery. It was a vibe of shared love. The Weeknd himself acknowledged the moment. “What I love about the Billions Club is that everybody knows these songs,” he said from the stage.

The Weeknd was clearly trying to make up for lost time by curating a set list teeming with hits. And he delivered, performing “Can’t Feel My Face,” “Blinding Lights,” “Starboy,” “The Hills,” “Earned It,” “I Feel It Coming” and “Save Your Tears.” The appreciation was clearly mutual as the singer shouted, “I fucking love you!” before making his way off stage.

The Weeknd is preparing to release a new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, on Jan. 24. It will serve as the finale to his album trilogy following 2022’s Dawn FM and 2020’s After Hours. He’s slated to perform a one-night-only concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena the following day.

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