Canadian R&B sensation Abel Tesfaye, 22, better known by his stage name The Weeknd, eschews all interviews.

Instead he communicates with the public solely via Twitter. With the exception of an occasional tweet, Tesfaye doesn’t need to lift a finger to garner any more Internet buzz.

He was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize and was noted by Stereogum as one of the Top Ten Acts of 2011 before he’d even played a live show.

Having released three free online mix-tapes independently in 2011, House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence to overwhelming critical praise, Tesfaye reigns over a new brand of alternative R&B hip-hop popularized by fellow Canadian rapper Drake.

His signature sound, a fusion of sinfully soulful R&B vocals melded with intricate yet sparse beats, is a study in contrasts. And with every song comes a heightened sense that Tesfaye is slowly mastering his technical craft and jumping leaps and bounds ahead of his sonic competition.

While critics clamour over The Weeknd, John Norris of MTV called Tesfaye the “best musical talent since Michael Jackson” — and the general public can’t get enough of Tesfaye’s hybrid sound either.

Hip-hop devotees and hipster kids alike have fallen for his lewd lyrics, chronicling indulgent nights out on the town and messy mornings after.

High For This, from his debut mix-tape House of Balloons, has become a quintessential house party hit.

As fans continue to lust after him, Tesfaye has been playing it incredibly cool outside the spotlight — which begs the question: why is he keeping up such a mysterious façade?

Is it simply a ploy to conceal his identity? Only a few low-res press shots exist of the guy. What’s more likely though is that Tesfaye’s ambiguity is a deliberate career move to leave us wanting more.

However, his bashful days may be behind him as The Weeknd has just recently signed to Universal Republic Records in September.

Trilogy, a re-mastered collection of his three mix-tapes along with a few bonus tracks, will be released Nov. 13 on the major label.

Although this kind of exposure may diminish his indie cred, The Weeknd is in good standing to make a big run come 2013.

Tesfaye hits the road this fall for his first full-fledged tour, stopping in Winnipeg on Monday, Sept. 24 for a concert at the Burton Cummings Theatre.

This tour will be a good testament to see whether or not he can translate all his recording triumphs into equally successful live performances.

Not to mention the fact that buying concert tickets for a Weeknd show would be the first instance where fans would actually have to fork out some cash to hear their favorite R&B recluse’s music, as its always been available by free download.

Judging by the previously sold-out shows —his gig in London on June 6 sold out within 60 seconds of tickets being released— Tesfaye should have no problem living up to all the hype.

Published in Volume 67, Number 3 of The Uniter (September 19, 2012)