The Weeknd recently shared his ongoing battle with anxiety, revealing a personal struggle that many may not have known about. In a candid conversation with Billboard Brazil, he opened up about this never-ending fight.
“It’s funny you should mention this [mental health],” he said. “I just had a panic attack right before this interview. My anxiety is a constant battle, and I feel like it never goes away. I’m learning to control it, but I’ve already realized that it’s part of my life. I can’t escape it.”
Despite his ongoing struggles, The Weeknd remains grateful for his life. He recently reflected on his journey while interviewing a younger version of himself, generated by artificial intelligence. In collaboration with a fashion brand in June, he conversed with a 10-year-old replica of himself.
In the conversation, the younger version of him expressed his love for music and singing. The Weeknd replied, “You have a lot to look forward to,” and even asked, “How is your relationship with God?”
The AI-generated younger self responded, “God is like my super cool friend who’s always there, you know?”
When asked about his superpower, The Weeknd said, “Probably being focused. And a new power is my patience.” This fascinating project involved using the latest AI technology to recreate his younger self and was a result of “reconfiguring his body with Harmony Korine’s EDGLRD and uploading his former self to an OpenAI GPT,” according to the article.
Earlier this summer, The Weeknd sparked speculation about the end of his career with a cryptic social media post. He quoted a fan page’s tweet about his live performance of “Save Your Tears” at the 2021 Billboard Awards. The performance was dramatic, with cars barreling toward him only to part ways at the last moment.
The quote read, “There was a lot of trust with those cars. He didn’t seem nervous at all, which really weirded us out, because these cars were just barreling by him and he was calm, kept his composure, walked slow and just didn’t look back. It was kind of amazing.” His Instagram Story post included a static shot from that performance along with the statement, “the end is near.”
The Weeknd’s struggle with anxiety sheds light on the mental health battles that many face behind closed doors. His openness serves as a powerful reminder that even the most successful individuals can struggle with their mental health.
