Every few months, someone sits in my chair with a screenshot of The Weeknd on their phone. The style changes—locs one week, a clean crop the next—but the request is always the same: “Can I pull this off?” The answer depends on your hair texture, face shape, and how much maintenance you’re willing to commit to.
Here’s a barber’s honest breakdown of every Weeknd hairstyle, what each one actually takes to maintain, and how to ask for it.
Key Takeaways
- The Weeknd’s 10 signature hairstyles range from free-form locs to clean crops—each matched a specific album era and creative direction
- Most of his styles work best on type 3C–4C hair textures, though the short crop and fade styles suit almost any hair type
- His Starboy-era short crop is the most requested Weeknd style in barbershops—low-maintenance and universally flattering
- Always bring a reference photo to your barber—The Weeknd’s styles look deceptively simple but require precise fading and shaping
- Free-form locs like his Trilogy era take 6+ months of commitment with minimal manipulation
Who Is The Weeknd?
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known professionally as The Weeknd, emerged from Toronto’s underground music scene in 2010 with a mysterious persona amplified by his distinctive hairstyle. His initial anonymity, paired
The Weeknd’s Hair Evolution Timeline
The Weeknd’s hair journey spans from 2011’s wild locs to 2022’s theatrical styling, with each phase deliberately crafted to match his musical evolution. His transformations include the infamous 2015 loc-cutting that shocked fans, the clean-cut Starboy rebrand, and the return to natural textures for After Hours. This timeline represents not just style changes but calculated image shifts that coincide with album releases and creative reinventions.
The Iconic Trilogy Era Locs
The Weeknd’s palm tree locs from 2011-2015 became one of music’s most recognizable hairstyles. These free-form locs, grown for over four years, created a wild silhouette that perfectly embodied his mysterious, underground persona.
The style required minimal manipulation, allowing the hair to naturally lock and grow upward and outward. This look became so synonymous with his identity that cutting them made international headlines.
Kiss Land Refined Dreads
During the Kiss Land era in 2013, The Weeknd’s locs appeared more refined and controlled while maintaining their signature height. The styling showed subtle evolution with neater roots and more defined sections, suggesting professional maintenance.
This period saw him experimenting with different partings and occasionally pulling sections back, showing versatility within the loc framework. The refined approach matched his transition toward more polished production.
Beauty Behind The Madness Short Locs
By mid-2015, The Weeknd had trimmed his locs to shoulder length, creating a transitional look before his dramatic cut. This intermediate phase showed the locs styled in various ways—sometimes tied back, occasionally worn to the side.
The shorter length made them more manageable for performances while maintaining his signature aesthetic. This style lasted only months before the shocking transformation.
Can’t Feel My Face Mini Afro
The late 2015 reveal of The Weeknd’s cropped natural afro marked his official pop crossover moment. After cutting his signature locs, he embraced a neat, rounded mini afro approximately 2-3 inches in length.
The style required regular shaping to maintain its spherical silhouette and likely involved twist-outs or pick-styling for uniform texture. This dramatic change coincided with his mainstream breakthrough.
Starboy Era Short Crop
The Weeknd’s 2016 Starboy phase featured an ultra-short textured crop, often styled with subtle waves or a brushed finish. Cut to approximately 1 inch on top with a mid-fade on the sides—similar to a clean french crop, this look represented peak minimalism in his style evolution.
The cut required bi-weekly maintenance and light product application for texture definition. This sleek style perfectly matched his refined pop sound.
2017 Clean Cut Phase
Throughout 2017, The Weeknd maintained a conservative short cut with precise line-ups and sharp edges. The style featured a subtle taper fade and approximately half-inch length on top, often styled with a slight wave pattern. This professional look aligned with his awards season appearances and established him as a serious artist beyond his signature wild aesthetic.
My Dear Melancholy Textured Crop
In 2018, The Weeknd grew his hair to a medium-textured crop of about 2 inches, allowing natural curl patterns to emerge. This style bridged his clean-cut phase with a return to more natural textures.
The look required curl-enhancing products and finger-coiling techniques to achieve defined but controlled texture. This transitional style hinted at his upcoming aesthetic shift.
After Hours Red Suit Afro
The After Hours era in 2020 saw The Weeknd return to a full afro silhouette, reaching approximately 4-5 inches in height. This perfectly rounded afro became iconic alongside his red suit aesthetic and bloodied face performances.
The style required careful picking and shaping to maintain its spherical form, with regular conditioning to keep the texture soft and defined. This marked his first major return to bigger hair since 2015.
Blinding Lights Awards Season Style
During the Blinding Lights peak in 2020-2021, The Weeknd alternated between his afro and slicked-back variations for formal events. Using heavy-hold gels and pomades, he created sleek, controlled looks that contrasted with his usual textured styles. These red carpet variations showed the versatility of his length while maintaining the After Hours aesthetic through consistent grooming.
Dawn FM Aged Character Look
The Dawn FM era introduced The Weeknd’s most theatrical styling yet—an artificially aged appearance with grey-tinted hair and prosthetic makeup. The hair styling mimicked an elderly man’s thinner texture through strategic product application and possible temporary coloring. This conceptual approach to hair as storytelling represents his most artistic use of styling to support a narrative concept.
How To Get The Weeknd’s Signature Styles
For the classic locs, commit to 4-6 months minimum of growth before beginning the locking process. Use the free-form method with minimal manipulation, washing weekly with residue-free shampoo.
For his afro styles, grow hair to 3-4 inches and use a pick to create volume while maintaining shape with edge control. The short crops require a skilled barber to execute the perfect fade—request a mid-fade with 1-2 inches on top and natural texture retention.
What To Tell Your Barber For Each Weeknd Style
Showing your barber a photo is step one, but knowing the right terminology gets you a better result. Here’s exactly what to ask for with each of The Weeknd’s most popular looks.
Trilogy-Era Locs: “I want to start free-form locs with no retwisting—just palm rolling every few weeks.” Tell your barber you’re growing them out and only need occasional shaping around the edges. Expect 6–12 months before they take real shape.
Mini Afro (Can’t Feel My Face): “Rounded afro, 2–3 inches on top, shaped with clippers, soft edges.” Ask for a pick-out finish, not a blow-out—you want natural volume, not a forced shape.
Starboy Short Crop: “Short all over, half-inch on top, mid fade on the sides, clean lineup.” This is his lowest-maintenance look and works on almost every head shape.
Textured Crop (My Dear Melancholy): “Two inches on top, natural curl pattern, tapered sides.” Ask your barber to use scissors on top to keep texture alive rather than clippers, which flatten the curl.
After Hours Afro: “Full afro, 4–5 inches, rounded silhouette, clean edges.” This one needs regular shape-ups every 2–3 weeks to keep the outline crisp.
Which Hair Types Work Best For Each Style
Not every Weeknd hairstyle works on every hair type. Here’s the honest breakdown from someone who’s had to talk clients out of styles that won’t work for them.
Type 4A–4C (tight coils): You’ve got the widest range. The Trilogy locs, both afro styles, and the textured crop all play to your natural texture. The short crop works too but may need more frequent lineups since tight coils grow unevenly.
Type 3A–3C (loose to tight curls): The mini afro and textured crop are your best bets. Locs are possible but will look different—thinner and more rope-like rather than The Weeknd’s chunky free-form style. The short crop is easy for you.
Type 2 (wavy) or straighter: The short crop and clean fade styles will suit you, but skip the locs and afro attempts. Straight hair doesn’t lock the same way, and forcing it leads to damage.
Face shape note: Round faces suit the taller afro styles (they add vertical length). Oval and diamond faces can pull off any of these. Square jaws look sharp with the short crop and clean-cut phase styles.
Products For The Weeknd’s Hair Textures
Natural textures like The Weeknd’s require moisture-rich products without heavy buildup. For afros, use leave-in conditioners and light oils like argan or jojoba. Twist-out creams help define texture for shorter styles.
For locs, stick to natural oils and residue-free shampoos. The slicked looks need strong-hold gels or pomades. Always protect hair at night with a silk durag or bonnet to maintain styles between washes.
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FAQs: The Weeknd Hairstyles
Why did The Weeknd cut his signature locs?
The Weeknd cut his locs in 2015 as a deliberate reinvention coinciding with his pop crossover. He stated it was about “shedding the old” and that the locs had become a crutch hiding behind.
The dramatic change from underground artist to mainstream superstar required an equally dramatic visual transformation. The cut symbolized leaving his Trilogy persona behind and embracing a new chapter, proving that sometimes artistic evolution demands sacrificing your most recognizable features.
How to maintain locs like The Weeknd?
Maintaining free-form locs requires patience and minimal interference. Wash weekly with residue-free shampoo, avoiding products that cause buildup. Separate roots monthly to prevent congo locs unless that’s your goal.
Palm roll sparingly to maintain some shape without over-manipulating. The Weeknd’s locs took 4+ years to achieve their full height—expect at least 6 months before significant locking begins. Sleep with a durag or loc sock to protect them and maintain moisture with light natural oils.
What products does The Weeknd use for his afro?
While The Weeknd hasn’t publicly detailed his routine, achieving his afro requires moisture-focused products typical for 4C hair textures. Essential products include sulfate-free shampoo, deep conditioner used weekly, leave-in conditioner for daily moisture, and light natural oils for shine.
Use a wide-tooth pick for volume and shape, similar to techniques used for other natural Black men’s styles, applying product to damp hair then picking out once 80% dry. Edge control helps maintain clean lines, while a satin bonnet preserves the style overnight.
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Khamis Maiouf is a professional barber who graduated from Hinckley College in England with a Level 3 qualification in hairdressing. With over 20 years of experience, he is an award-winning barber who has mentored numerous students and styled thousands of clients. A recognised expert featured on StyleCraze (20M+ readers).
Credentials: Level 3 Hairdressing (Hinckley College, UK) • 20+ Years Professional Experience • Featured Expert on StyleCraze • Founder of Book of Barbering