The Weeknd reveals “huge” Deftones influence on early work

Credit: Tamar Levine

Before he was blinded by the lights, The Weeknd was apparently blinded by the “Flies.”

The R&B star — known for hits including “Blinding Lights” and “I Can’t Feel My Face” — has revealed that his early work was influenced by Deftones.

“Deftones huge inspo during Trilogy era,” The Weeknd writes in a tweet. Trilogy refers to his 2012 compilation, which collects his first three mixtapes: House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence. You can definitely hear the Deftones influence on some of the heavier tracks, such as House of Balloons opener “High for This.”

Deftones, by the way, has seemingly made a habit of attracting fans from different genres. Along with The Weeknd, singer — and fellow Canadian — Michael Bublé is a longtime Deftones devotee.

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