Canadian singer The Weeknd, who has been appearing for months now in public with head bandages, said on Thursday (Feb 4) that his Super Bowl half-time gig will continue to follow a story he has been telling but in a more family-friendly way.
The 30-year-old singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, has also released gory videos, including one in which two women come across his disembodied head as part of his performance art storyline.
"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," he said in an interview with Variety magazine.
"Being attractive isn't important to me but a compelling narrative is," said the singer who appeared at the 2020 American Music Awards last November with his face bandaged up.
While he was tight-lipped about the details for his show during this Sunday's NFL championship game in Tampa, Florida, he did say it will be toned down significantly from a graphic standpoint, Reuters reported.
"I definitely want to be respectful to the viewer at home," he said at a news conference.
"I will still incorporate some of the storyline. It's a very cohesive story I am telling throughout this era and throughout this year, so the story will continue but (I will) definitely keep it PG for the families."
Other stars who have performed at the Super Bowl include Lady Gaga, Prince, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and the Rolling Stones. It is considered one of the top promotional platforms for musicians as it is the most watched television event of the year in the United States.
The Weeknd began his recording career in 2010 and has won three Grammy Awards and nine Billboard music awards.
While most Super Bowl performers spend their entire 12-minute set confined to a stage on the field, The Weeknd will also use the surrounding area.
"Due to (Covid-19) and for the safety of the players and the workers, we kind of built a stage within the stadium," he said.
"We're also using the field as well but we wanted to kind of do something that we've never done before. I'm not going to tell you anything 'cuz you have to watch on Sunday."
