The Weeknd couldn’t feel his face Sunday night at the 2020 American Music Awards, because it was covered in bandages. The superstar took home three awards and performed alongside Kenny G at the show and surprised fans by fully wrapping his face during his many appearances.
The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) went all out with his After Hours aesthetic by covering his beat-up face with a massive bandage, causing some confused viewers to grow concerned for his health despite his consistency during his fourth album cycle. In March, he sported the same red suit jacket, black leather gloves and bloodied face with a nose bandage while performing on Saturday Night Live ahead of After Hours’ release. He later performed “Blinding Lights” and accepted two awards at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards in August while wearing the same look. But the pop star hasn’t been sustaining the same injuries throughout 2020.
The singer explained to Esquire earlier this year that his Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit single “Blinding Lights” is about “how you want to see someone at night, and you’re intoxicated, and you’re driving to this person and you’re just blinded by streetlights, but nothing could stop you from trying to go see that person, because you’re so lonely. I don’t want to ever promote drunk driving, but that’s what the dark undertone is.”
Twitter came to its own lighthearted conclusions, comparing The Weeknd’s aesthetic to that of a fully bandaged cartoon character on Spongebob Squarepants or of a maniacal Joaquin Phoenix playing the Joker. Whatever tricks he has up his sleeve for his headlining halftime show performance at the 2021 Super Bowl, fans are imagining he’ll be tucked away in a full-body cast.
The Weeknd won favorite male artist – soul/R&B; favorite album – soul/R&B; and favorite song – soul/R&B at the 2020 AMAs on Sunday night and performed a medley of “In Your Eyes” and “Save Your Tears” with Kenny G from his Billboard 200-topping album After Hours.
