The Weeknd brings ‘Starboy’ to Tampa

Abel Makkonen Tesfa became an immediate hit with critics and fans with the videos and mixtapes he released in 2010 and 2011. At first he released the songs anonymously. The project was titled “The Weeknd,” and that soon became his stage name.

He’s only gotten bigger in the ensuing years, after three acclaimed hit albums — four if you count his album of versions of his mixtapes — including 2016’s “Starboy.” He’s also worked on a number of high-profile collaborations with Kanye West, Daft Punk, Kendrick Lamar, Lana Del Rey, Beyonce and others, and he has performed sold out shows all over the world.

The Canadian singer will bring his alt-soul music to Tampa’s Amalie Arena on Friday.

The tour is called “Starboy: Legend of the Fall World Tour 2017,” so there’s likely to be an emphasis on his latest album. “Starboy” came out around Thanksgiving and immediately shot to the top spot on the America and Canadian charts. Besides selling lots of records (and garnering consistent praise from critics), The Weeknd is one of the most-streamed artists in history.

His sweet falsetto singing is often compared favorably to that of Michael Jackson, and his down-tempo, emotional R&B songs have been compared to those of R. Kelly and even Sam Cooke.

Details: 7:30 p.m. May 12, Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. $35.75, $55.25, $75.25 and $121.25. 813-301-2500, amaliearena.com.

This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 3:35 PM with the headline "The Weeknd brings ‘Starboy’ to Tampa."