Oscar-nominated songwriter The Weeknd was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations World Food Programme during a reception in West Hollywood on Thursday.
The 31-year-old Canadian son of Ethiopian immigrants has donated over $4M to charities in the past year, including $1M to the WFP’s relief efforts in Ethiopia.
‘I feel passionately about addressing world hunger and helping people in need,’ The Weeknd (born Abel Tesfaye) said in a statement.
New title! Oscar-nominated songwriter The Weeknd was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations World Food Programme during a reception in West Hollywood on Thursday
‘Our partnership is an authentic extension of all our efforts and intentions to help those in need and bring an end to so much suffering.’
The Take My Breath singer must have also been inspired by his rumored girlfriend, Angelina Jolie, who became Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in 2012.
The Weeknd and the 46-year-old humanitarian have hung out three times since June, with the most recent sighting on September 25 at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica.
‘They are not dating,’ an insider claimed to E! News on September 29.
Close to his heart: The 31-year-old Canadian son of Ethiopian immigrants has donated over $4M to charities in the past year, including $1M to the WFP’s relief efforts in Ethiopia
The Weeknd (born Abel Tesfaye) said in a statement: ‘I feel passionately about addressing world hunger and helping people in need. Our partnership is an authentic extension of all our efforts and intentions to help those in need and bring an end to so much suffering’
‘They have been talking about partnering on a few humanitarian projects’: The Take My Breath singer must have also been inspired by his rumored girlfriend, Angelina Jolie, who became Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in 2012
‘They totally hit it off’: The Weeknd and the 46-year-old humanitarian (R) have hung out three times since June, with the most recent sighting on September 25 at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica
‘They have been recently talking about partnering on a few humanitarian projects together…They have a lot in common. They totally hit it off after their first meeting earlier this summer and have kept in touch ever since.’
The Save Your Tears singer was presented with his lofty title by the WFP’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning executive director David Beasley.
‘His compassion and commitment to helping the world’s hungriest people is truly inspirational,’ the 64-year-old former governor of South Carolina said in a statement.
‘Every night, 811M people go to bed hungry, and another 270M are marching toward starvation. This is just not right and we have got to speak out and act today to save lives. We need everyone to come join our movement to end hunger – it is all hands on deck to avoid a global catastrophe.’
Replacing Kate Hudson: The Save Your Tears singer was presented with his lofty title by the WFP’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning executive director David Beasley (L)
The 64-year-old former governor of South Carolina (R) said in a statement: ‘His compassion and commitment to helping the world’s hungriest people is truly inspirational’
It takes a village: As of 2019, the food-assistance branch of the UN has served 97M people in 88 countries, and it remains the largest provider of school meals
As of 2019, the food-assistance branch of the UN has served 97M people in 88 countries, and it remains the largest provider of school meals.
Kate Hudson, Sheryl Crow, and Christina Aguilera have previously helped raise funds for the program founded in 1961 by South Dakota Senator George McGovern.
Later on Thursday, The Weeknd Instastoried two snaps inside a recording studio as he puts the finishing touches on his fifth studio album, The Dawn.
This, two days after rapper Travis Scott wrote ‘Dawnski’ on an Instagram post from The Weeknd’s co-manager Amir ‘Cash’ Esmailian while visiting Toronto.
Busy: Later on Thursday, The Weeknd shared two snaps inside a recording studio as he puts the finishing touches on his fifth studio album, The Dawn
‘My brother always pullin up!’ This, two days after rapper Travis Scott (L) wrote ‘Dawnski’ on an Instagram post from The Weeknd’s co-manager Amir ‘Cash’ Esmailian (R) while visiting Toronto
The former American Apparel employee said on his Apple Music 1 radio show Memento Mori on Sunday: ‘Album is complete. Only thing that’s missing is a couple of characters who are key to the narrative – some people that are near and dear to me, some people that inspired my life as a child and some that inspire me now. More to come in the following months’
‘A lot has been going down, a lot of moving pieces. Been settling in a new home. Been shooting videos. Been working on pre-productions for another world. Working on music for the pre-productions for the other world,’ the former American Apparel employee said on his Apple Music 1 radio show Memento Mori on Sunday.
‘Taking time to myself so I don’t completely lose my mind. But now we’re back. I hope you had a great summer. Some exciting features coming out in the fall before the album drops. Some Dawn updates: Album is complete. Only thing that’s missing is a couple of characters who are key to the narrative – some people that are near and dear to me, some people that inspired my life as a child and some that inspire me now. More to come in the following months.’
And if that’s not enough, The Weeknd is also producing, co-writing, and starring in Sam Levinson and Reza Fahim’s drama series The Idol for HBO.
The show will ‘follow a female pop singer (Lily-Rose Depp) who starts a romance with an enigmatic LA club owner (The Weeknd) who is the leader of a secret cult’ – according to Deadline.
‘Been working on pre-productions for another world’: And if that’s not enough, The Weeknd is also producing, co-writing, and co-starring in Sam Levinson and Reza Fahim’s drama series The Idol for HBO alongside Lily-Rose Depp