House of Balloons is the debut mixtape by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on March 21, 2011, by the artist's own record label XO. The mixtape was released for free on the Weeknd's website and was the subject of increased media discussion upon the use of its songs on television, as well as the then-anonymous identity of the individual behind the Weeknd. House of Balloons was entirely recorded in Toronto, with production handled primarily by the Weeknd, Doc McKinney, and Illangelo, alongside additional contributions from Cirkut, Jeremy Rose and Rainer. Its title is derived from the nickname the singer gave to his former home in Parkdale, Toronto.
Image: Usher Raymond by Sandra Alphonse
Image: Rihanna live at Kollen Music Festival 2012 cropped
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Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He is known for his unconventional music production, artistic reinventions, and signature use of the falsetto register.
Tesfaye performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2012
Tesfaye performing at Massey Hall in October 2013
Tesfaye performing at Bumbershoot 2015
Tesfaye performing at Lollapalooza Chile during the Starboy: Legend of the Fall Tour in 2017
