Abel Tesfaye, professionally known as singer “The Weeknd,” reportedly had a record-breaking 2025.
His “After Hours ‘Til Dawn” tour, which started in July 2022 and is set to end on Sept. 6, has grossed more than $1 billion as of Nov. 20, according to Live Nation — becoming the highest-earning tour by a male solo artist ever. And with an estimated $298 million in personal earnings, Tesfaye was the highest-paid musician of 2025, topping Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Coldplay, according to Forbes.
Forbes’ estimate includes $77 million in profits from performances and Tesfaye’s billion-dollar catalog partnership with private equity firm Lyric Capital Group. It’s a long way from his early beginnings: At age 19, Tesfaye was working at an American Apparel store to financially support himself while making music on the side, he told NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in May.
While working at the retail store, the Toronto native started releasing music anonymously, he said — not attaching a face or his real name to his songs. Eventually, he noticed his co-workers playing his music in the store.
“That was the validation I needed,” he said. “I’m like, ‘I’m quitting my job. And this is mine … It’s my full-time life.'”
DON’T MISS:Â How to build custom GPTs and use AI agents
At the time, Tesfaye’s finances weren’t necessarily stable. He’d dropped out of high school and left home at age 17, he told The Guardian in December 2016. After going on government support and renting a one-bedroom apartment with a friend for about a year, where they hosted some hard-charging parties, Tesfaye found himself in jail at age 18, he said.
Tesfaye declined to share details with The Guardian, but said the experience was “bad enough for me to smarten up.” He moved out of the apartment and bounced around from place to place, soon landing the American Apparel job and starting to write music, he said.
Tefaye’s debut mixtape “House of Balloons,” which he released online for free in March 2011 under the name The Weeknd, ultimately kickstarted his career as a musician. Roughly two years later, he performed at the Coachella music festival and signed a record deal with Republic Records.
Ask yourself 2 questions before quitting to pursue your side hustle
Tesfaye isn’t the first — and won’t be the last — person who quits their full-time job to pursue a passion or side hustle. Try to prepare adequately before doing so, experts typically recommend.
“Often, if you don’t pursue something you want, you’ll have regrets,” Wayfair co-founder and CEO Niraj Shah told CNBC Make It on Nov. 6. “But obviously if you do something reckless you could have different regrets.”
Ask yourself two questions before taking the leap, recommended Shah:
Has your side hustle progressed enough to where it’s worth the risk and effort of becoming your full-time gig?Are you financially in a position to take that risk?
If either of those questions prompt a “No” answer, you may want to prepare more. Financially, that could include padding your emergency fund with three-to-six months of expenses, certified financial planner Krista Aliga told CNBC in September 2021, or paying down some of your credit card debt first.
If you feel confident, Shah said: “Then I would try to think through the money piece and figure out if there’s a path that makes it [worthwhile].”
Want to get ahead at work with AI? Sign up for CNBC’s new online course, Beyond the Basics: How to Use AI to Supercharge Your Work. Learn advanced AI skills like building custom GPTs and using AI agents to boost your productivity today. Use coupon code EARLYBIRD for 25% off. Offer valid from Jan. 5 to Jan. 19, 2026. Terms apply.
Take control of your money with CNBC Select
CNBC Select is editorially independent and may earn a commission from affiliate partners on links.
