It’s organic, but you know, I don’t want to force it. With each new album, your sound always seems to be evolving. I found out that they submitted for me, but I had no idea that you could submit. I had no idea that it was even possible to get nominated for an Emmy for the Super Bowl, so I was very grateful. How does it feel to be recognized by the Emmys this year? This past year, you’ve been pretty open about your feelings towards the Grammys and awards shows, in general. I’m glad that we got some memorable moments from the Super Bowl and, you know, they’re memories that we can look back at to a time that felt important. Your performance generated a lot of memes, specifically the one moment when you’re moving with the camera in your hand. It’s the most fun and she just looked like she was having the best time. We were kind of blind, but it turned out great.ĭo you have any favorite Super Bowl halftime performances from the past? Any influences that you pulled from?ĭiana Ross’s performance is my favorite. So there was a silver lining in that, but we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into. The silver lining was that we got to be very creative and got to make it a cinematic journey - less of a halftime show spectacle, more of a narrative. Then, having to adjust to what we’re dealing with and making it a COVID-safe, COVID-free environment. Just the idea that it’s the Super Bowl alone, you know, there was that pressure. Did you feel any pressure going into such an undertaking? The Super Bowl Halftime Show is one of the most watched performances on live television. “I’m kind of just living in the moment right now,” he said. In regard to plans for an upcoming tour, Tesfaye is “curious to see how the year unfolds” amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. I love to create.”Ībove all, The Weeknd misses performing for his fans. “I don’t even know what winding down really means,” Tesfaye said of his work-life balance or lack thereof. He’s also spent a majority of his summer back and forth between the recording studio and the writer’s room - that is, for the development of his new HBO show in collaboration with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson. Super Bowl Halftime Show, the Series? NFL Plots "Bigger" Brand Future After 2022īut the performer has a new project that could be an awards contender - his latest album, which fans speculate will be titled The Dawn Is Coming, is being released later this year. The three-time Grammy Award winner publicly expressed his frustration at the Recording Academy, even going so far as to boycott the awards show. Just weeks after it was announced that he would be headlining the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show, The Weeknd was shockingly snubbed at the Grammys - a shutout that stunned fans and critics alike. The Emmy nod for Outstanding Variety Special comes in stark contrast to The Weeknd’s most recent album After Hours - the most-streamed R&B album of all time - going unrecognized at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Even still, the artist - also known by his real name Abel Tesfaye - is grateful for the “pleasant surprise.” The Weeknd wasn’t expecting an Emmy nomination for his Super Bowl performance.