The Weeknd is taking credit for inspiring Usher’s 2012 hit song “Climax.”
The star, 30, who released his new album After Hours last month, candidly revealed that he believes his 2011 mixtape House of Balloons is what influenced Usher, 41, to experiment with what’s now The Weeknd’s signature alternative R&B style.
“House of Balloons literally changed the sound of pop music before my eyes,” the Weeknd said in Variety’s latest cover story. “I heard ‘Climax,’ that Usher song, and was like, ‘Holy f—, that’s a Weeknd song.’”
Though the singer says he was initially upset after hearing Usher’s tune, he ultimately took the project as a compliment to his musical flow.
“It was very flattering,” The Weeknd told the outlet. “I knew I was doing something right, but I also got angry. But the older I got, I realized it’s a good thing.”
At the time he released his mixtape, The Weeknd’s career hadn’t fully blown up and he was still working to gain mainstream notoriety for his unique artistry — which he and his team believe other musicians are now duplicating.
“People saw the rise, but have no idea how hard Abel and our small team worked for years before we got the recognition,” his manager Wassim Slaiby told the outlet. “Abel created this whole new R&B wave everyone is on now.”
While The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, feels like his music was the catalyst for Usher’s track “Climax,” the song’s producer Diplo previously said otherwise.
