It’s the end of day one at Lollapalooza 2015. You’re exhausted and want to sleep, but your group of friends insist that you see “The Weeknd” with them. You reluctantly tag along expecting nothing more than another basic set. You wait around with no patience and suddenly lights flash, the crowd goes wild and you can’t tell if that feeling is your heart racing or just the vibrations from the bass. After the show you feel like you’ve been in an indescribable trance.

For most people it just takes one show or even one song to turn them into a fan. “The Weeknd” has blown up within the past year. His newest album, Beauty Behind the Madness, has sold more records than his past two albums combined. But why now? Why is “The Weeknd” just now being noticed when he has been around since his first album release in 2012?

“We are tired of hearing the same old stuff. We just want something new. Exciting. Fresh. The same old artists have been releasing the same type of music for so long and The Weeknd gives us the breath of fresh air that we needed,” said sophomore Kevin Goss.

The Weeknd is something we haven’t heard before and that is why so many people are into his music.  You could ask anyone to describe him and they would most likely give you one of two words: original or unique. From his outrageous hair to his deep, sometimes inappropriate, lyrics he clearly is not your typical musician.

“The Weeknd appeals to many different tastes. His lyrics are clever and catchy,” said junior Micayla Shevlin.

The lyrics he writes are raw and creative. He does not beat around the bush when explaining his feelings in song.

Most people also find enjoyment in how genuine and down to earth “The Weeknd” is. He does not conform to the ideals of what people want him to be. He writes his music and does what he wants. This aspect of him makes his music true to him and more relatable to his audience.

“He enjoys his music just as much as we do, if not more” said Junior Karina Toledo.

Most singers in this day and age work instead of perform. This creates a disconnect from the singer and the audience. However, “The Weeknd” performs instead of works. This creates a bond with him and the audience and allows us to feel like he cares about his fans and not just the money he is making.