Super Bowl: The Weeknd Finally Reveals Meaning of Face Bandages Ahead of Halftime Show

Anyone can watch the entire Super Bowl for free this year, and the major mystery of the halftime show has finally been revealed. The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, has finally revealed the purpose of his facial bandages that he wore to the red carpet and during his performance at the American Music Awards. Ahead of his performance at the Super Bowl halftime show, The Weeknd finally explained the message behind the dirty bandages covering his entire face.

The allusions to plastic surgery have been made in many of The Weeknd‘s most recent appearances and performances, leading many to wonder if it was just a character that he was creating or if they were a slam on his ex Bella Hadid. “This character is having a really bad night,” he said back in April. “You can come with own interpretation of what it is.” However, he has now gone in to more detail in a new interview with Variety.

“The significance of the entire head bandages is reflecting on the absurd culture of Hollywood celebrity and people manipulating themselves for superficial reasons to please and be validated,” The Weeknd explained. “It’s all a progression and we watch The Character’s storyline hit heightened levels of danger and absurdity as his tale goes on.”

“I suppose you could take that being attractive isn’t important to me but a compelling narrative is,” The Weeknd admitted. He continued, saying that he liked to “play with the character and the artist and let those lines blur and move around.” When asked if he was in character during this particular interview, he had a particularly cheeky answer. “I don’t know, I’d have to ask him.”

Fans are looking forward to The Weeknd’s half time performance, and producer Jesse Collins promises a fully live and surprising show. “It’s all happening in that stadium, in that moment,” Collins told Entertainment Tonight. “We’re not bouncing off to another stadium and then cutting in, like some people have had to do (before). We are fortunate enough in this situation that we are able to do a live, live show.”

“It’s gotta be about entertainment from a truthful perspective,” Collins said. “Get away from the massive sets, all the hoopla, the flying this and that. And get to the core of what makes an artist special… I think there’s a lot of stuff happening in the show that people aren’t going to expect. It’s just going to be fun. It’s so perfect.”

Collins explained that this show has been in the making for months and that viewers should expect the unexpected. “We started creating this thing back in September, and the message of it really worked out,” he claimed. “The world worked out for the message that The Weeknd wants to communicate in this performance … It’s definitely a very special show.”