The Weeknd quotes:

When you're traveling constantly, every day you become inspired, and it shows in my work, sonically, lyrically, visually. Conversations with women with different accents and stories told in those accents. I like to create characters based on different people I've met, and relationships. I like to tell stories loosely based on real-life events.

House of Balloons' was special because I had no deadlines, and nobody knew me, so there were no expectations. Spent a year making it perfect. Every song had at least, like, 7 different versions to them before picking the right one.

Trilogy' was more of a claustrophobic body of work. Before it was released, I hadn't left my city for 21 years, and I had never been on a plane, not once. I spent my entire life on one setting; that's probably why pieces of the album feel like one long track, because that's what my life felt like. It felt like one long song.

I was very camera shy. People like hot girls, so I put my music to hot girls and it just became a trend. The whole 'enigmatic artist' thing, I just ran with it. No one could find pictures of me.

Kiss Land' is the story after 'Trilogy'; it's pretty much the second chapter of my life. The narrative takes place after my first flight; it's very foreign, very Asian-inspired. When people ask me, 'Why Japan?' I simply tell them it's the furthest I've ever been from home. It really is a different planet.

Once you've changed who you are or who you've portrayed in your music, the fans, they'll catch it... Once I feel like the world knows me for anything else but my music, then I feel like I failed.

I make good music for long journeys.

I can never be Michael Jackson or do what he did, but he is definitely a good inspiration: I want to give the kids that feeling.

I've been singing my whole life. I'd randomly sing in the hallways at high school, and all my friends would be like, 'You should sing on 'Canadian Idol'!" It definitely gassed me!

I usually don't like to 'spoon feed' my audience, because I grew up idolizing story tellers who tell stories using symbolism, so it was in my nature to do the same.

Happiness exist when you don't know a thing

Chest feeling heavy like a midget on my necklace.

I'm addied up, added up I just ate a plate for breakfast Put it in a cup, then I mix it up with Texas.

You know me, but you don't know me. I give you what I want to give you. I relate to villains like that - but I'm not out to destroy the world.

Im the most boring person to talk to.

Make me remember you like you remember me

Staying in a hopeless and miserable situation doesn't make you loyal, it just makes you miserable.

Be loyal to your own piece of mind.

They asked me why I don't quit drinking, I told 'em I'm not a quitter.

Cause the shit so strong, got me feeling like I'm dying The shit so raw, nothing else can get me higher.

I went from staring at the same four walls for 21 years to seeing the whole world in just 12 months

Once you learn to hit, teach yourself to never miss again.

Ain't nobody gonna care enough to catch you fall.

I ain't scared of the fall / I've felt the ground before.

I feel like my singing is not conventional. I mean, if you look at technique, I'm not a technical singer.

I know you've been trying to get a hold of me, but I can barely get a hold of myself

I usually dont like to spoon feed my audience, because I grew up idolizing story tellers who tell stories using symbolism, so it was in my nature to do the same.

I'm too full to swallow my pride

Once youve changed who you are or who youve portrayed in your music, the fans, theyll catch it... Once I feel like the world knows me for anything else but my music, then I feel like I failed.

Some people are just born wack, you can't teach certain wackness.

Straight to the top, rooftop glows. With a hand full of girls and they all so foreign. Brain so poisoned, rainbows flowing.

What does it mean when your heart's already numb? You're a professional.

When Michael (Jackson) died, it felt like part of my family died. I want [my fans] to know that my music is for them and if, god forbid, anything happened [to me], it would be like a piece of them is gone.