As the Super Bowl approaches, The Weeknd is focused on preparing to take the biggest stage of his life. And he's literally personally invested –- his manager Sal Slaiby told Billboard that Tesfaye put $7 million of his own money into the production to "make this halftime show be what he envisioned." The Weeknd's visions tend to be equal parts disturbing and compelling, so we're very curious to see what he wants to do (and what the censors let him get away with). He may have hinted that the red jacket will be there, but not the face; the cover art of his new compilation album The Highlights, which will be released the Friday before the Super Bowl, features him with one but not the other.
Regarding his commitment to staying in character throughout the After Hours era, The Weeknd's creative director La Mar Taylor said it "takes a lot of bandwidth and determination, to stay true to a singular vision for 365 days." That's the most direct acknowledgement of the performance that anyone close to The Weeknd has given. (The Weeknd himself isn't quoted specifically talking about his look, other than saying he wants to switch it up sometimes and Taylor keeps him committed to consistency.)
Whatever happens at the Super Bowl, it might mark the end of the character's era, because how could The Weeknd top it? He definitely won't be doing it for much longer. In the Billboard story, he said he isn't sure if his planned spring tour will have the aesthetic, and "the man in the red jacket" will be gone by next year.
