Fans are criticizing The Weeknd for a recent interview in which he suggests that Usher ripped off his sound on the 2012 track “Climax.” Based on Twitter, a lot of listeners seem to disagree.
The Weeknd (real name Abel Makkonen Tesfaye) made the comment in a new interview withVariety. Read on to find out what he had to say about Usher, and how fans on social media reacted.
The Weeknd Says Usher Ripped Him Off
The Weeknd spoke to Variety about his 2011 mixtape “House of Balloons.” He claims the mixtape’s sound had an impact on the music world. “‘House of Balloons’ literally changed the sound of pop music before my eyes,” The Weeknd said.
He went on to name names, specifically Usher’s. “I heard ‘Climax,’ that [2012] Usher song, and was like, ‘Holy f—, that’s a Weeknd song,’” he said. “It was very flattering, and I knew I was doing something right, but I also got angry. But the older I got, I realized it’s a good thing.”
It’s certainly not a modest claim, and Twitter users were quick to comment on the singer’s words. Many of them questioned the comparison, and they didn’t hold back in their criticism.
Fans React To The Weeknd’s Usher Comments
One Twitter user said it was narcissistic for The Weeknd to accuse Usher of ripping him off. Others shared their opinion that The Weekend couldn’t match Usher’s vocals, and wouldn’t even be able to sing “Climax.”
Other users seemed to think it was hypocritical of The Weeknd to say someone else stole his sound when his style is clearly influenced by popular artists like Michael Jackson. The Weeknd even told Variety that Jackson’s 1987 song “Dirty Diana” is “the blueprint to my music.”
The Weeknd out here doing Micheal Jackson and The Dream impressions on every song talking about Usher took his sound on Climax 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/1USyVP8QUb
Usher hasn’t commented on The Weeknd’s remarks. You can stream The Weeknd’s new album After Hours now and decide for yourself. Let us know what you think in the comments!
Words by:
Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
