Tesfaye started his career in 2009 by posting music on YouTube under an assumed identity. He was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario.

His mixtapes House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence acquired recognition for his brand of modern and alternative R&B and the mystery surrounding his identity two years later when he co-founded the XO record label and released them.

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The artist, real name Abel Tesfaye, who was born to Ethiopian parents in Canada cites his concern about the ongoing conflict and crisis in Tigray as his reason for the donation.

He made a $1 million donation to Ethiopia through the United Nations World Food Programme, money which will pay for 2 million meals.

In response to several reports of police brutality in the US, Tesfaye gave US$250,000 to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation in August 2016.

Tesfaye gave US$500,000 to the National Bail Out, Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp, and the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation in May 2020 in response to the killing of George Floyd and the protests that followed. He then urged additional music industry leaders, significant record companies, and streaming platforms to contribute to the cause as well.