Sunny, Sunny, Coachella, California. I wish I was somewhat of a Gonzo Journalist, when writing about such things as Coachella, Fashion Week, Fashion’s Night Out, South by Southwest , Lollapalooza and every other huge music, film and fashion event, but unfortunately I experience all of this from my laptop and television (For now!).

But the wow factor and experience is no less. Last night, I was watching Coachella (along with the rest of my fashion and music-forward friends) on you tube. The entire evening was amazing and I really loved it. I made a promise that I have to be there next year!. Anyways, enough about me. Onto my two favorite parts of the night

Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd

Undoubtedly, The Weeknd (The XO of OVOXO) is one of the most played artists on my iPod; So I was extremely excited to see him perform for Coachella. Something about his soulful R&B voice telling stories in a dark, twisted and introverted way has me intrigued. This would be one of my first (and I’m sure the first of many others) time seeing him perform in front of a large crowd…and seeing it live (although I was physically 3,000 miles away). Amazing. He started off with his song “High For This” from his debut mixtape House of Balloons . With acoustic guitar starting alone in the first verse,  then coming in a full band as the chorus starts , Abel tells a story of him and a girl getting high together during an affair.. He continuously reassures her “You wanna be high for this” in his swooning voice. The next song is “D.D” , his cover of “Dirty Diana”, by the incomparable Michael Jackson. And it then effortlessly blends into his song “The Birds” in which he tells the girl “Don’t make me make you fall in love with a n***a like me. Nobody needs to fall in love, I swear I’m just a bird”. It shows an insight on Abel’s outlook on love and how he feels as though he doesn’t really deserve it. He then proceeds to go to “Rolling Stone” which talks about being loved and begging for love. He then goes onto “Crew Love” which is a song with both him and Drizzy Drake did together. This song talks about being at the top of their game and the girls who love them..  The set then transfers into “What You Need” in which Abel is telling a girl “He’s what you want.. I’m what you need.” .  He then sings “The Zone” , and switches back into “What You Need” . His next song is “The Party & The After Party” in which he talks about this girl he meets at a party and the events that take place. The next song that the Weeknd performs happens to be one of my favorites, “The Knowing” . In this song he talks about cheating on his cheating girlfriend and how their relationship becomes strained due to their adultery. The song is so sinister and twisted and shows heartbreak and revenge. The Weeknd then performs “Outside” from his Echoes of Silence mixtape, in which he tells his girlfriend that he will prove to her that he is far from her ex. After this song, The Weeknd goes into another huge favorite of mine being “The Morning” from his House of Balloons mixtape. This song speaks about a girl who believes in “all that money and money is the motive.” , and who lives her lifestyle purely for the fame and money although the lifestyle isn’t the best. This seems to be a common theme throughout a lot of Drake and The Weeknd’s music. Although the life isn’t the greatest, He continues to encourage the girl to live the life stating “girl put in work…girl girl put in work”.  The Weeknd ends his nearly an hour set with “House of Balloons/ Glass Table Girls”. This song is another great and another favorite of mine. It speaks of the culture of getting high off glass tables. The content may be controversial but it’s hard not to get intrigued by the beats and slick words from the Weeknd.

As a whole, I think that his entire set was amazing, and it was perfect for his American debut. I see a lot of great things in Abel’s future music-wise, even if he’s a private artist. We have too many gimmicks in the music industry now, let’s get back to the music.

Get out the Weeknd’s set here: http://www.complex.com/music/2012/04/watch-the-weeknds-full-coachella-performance