The singer was folding clothes at American Apparel at the time; now his former boss is one of his creative directors

"I didn't expect it to be that crazy!" The Weeknd said later on The Tonight Show. "What if they hated us?"

The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, tells PEOPLE about retiring his stage moniker at the New York City premiere of his 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' film

Following The Weeknd’s album of the same name, ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ is in theaters May 16

The musician, who announced he was boycotting the show in 2021, performed "Cry for Me" and "Timeless"

The Weeknd's new album, 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' is out now

“This city has always been a profound source of inspiration for me, and my thoughts are with everyone impacted during this difficult time," the singer said

In a new cover story interview with 'Variety,' The Weeknd also opened up about how it contributed to his forthcoming album 'Hurry Up Tomorrow.'

The Grammy winner acknowledged that he loved "reading criticism" of the controversial show — even if "some of it didn't feel constructive"

The Weeknd revealed plans for a tour in 2025 onstage

The two-hour special airs on Thursday, Dec. 12 and will be hosted by comedian Michelle Buteau

"We always knew some people were not going to like it and that it was going to be too much for some people," Depp said of 'The Idol'

"We always knew some people were not going to like it and that it was going to be too much for some people," Depp said of 'The Idol'