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SHOCKING Confession! The Weeknd Reveals His Music-Making ‘Crutch’ — ‘I Can’t Do This Sober’
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Dec. 5 2016, Updated 7:37 p.m. ET
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The Weeknd may have a series of hit songs under his belt, but even the most successful singers need a little help to create their next hit. The "Can't Feel My Face" singer revealed he has an unusual go-to 'crutch' to help him work.
![Confession the weeknd crutch sober 02](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dqkZgTpNO/480x379/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-02.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dqkZgTpNO/640x505/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-02.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dqkZgTpNO/768x606/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-02.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dqkZgTpNO/1024x808/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-02.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dqkZgTpNO/1280x1010/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-02.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dqkZgTpNO/1440x1136/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-02.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dqkZgTpNO/1600x1262/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-02.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dqkZgTpNO/2160x1704/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-02.jpg 2160w)
“You have writer’s block. And sometimes you’re like, I can’t do this sober,” the singer, real name Abel Tesfaye, told The Guardian in a revealing interview.
![confession the weeknd crutch sober 03](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-s7kXiG7r/480x480/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-03.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-s7kXiG7r/640x640/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-03.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-s7kXiG7r/768x768/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-03.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-s7kXiG7r/1024x1024/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-03.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-s7kXiG7r/1280x1280/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-03.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-s7kXiG7r/1440x1440/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-03.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-s7kXiG7r/1600x1600/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-03.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-s7kXiG7r/2160x2160/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-03.jpg 2160w)
For his most recent album, The Weeknd admitted, “I had to get that little jump,” so he brought in weed and Hennessy, “and the ball started rolling.”
![Confession the weeknd crutch sober 04](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/mfxqlQKqg/299x500/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-04.jpg 299w)
The “Starboy” singer told the newspaper his drug use began when he was just 17 and left home. At the time, The Weeknd said he indulged in everything from ketamine to cocaine, but a few nights in jail made him realize it was time “to smarten up, to focus.”
![confession the weeknd crutch sober 05](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/vagmmoF4Q/480x330/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-05.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/vagmmoF4Q/640x440/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-05.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/vagmmoF4Q/768x528/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-05.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/vagmmoF4Q/1024x703/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-05.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/vagmmoF4Q/1280x879/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-05.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/vagmmoF4Q/1440x989/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-05.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/vagmmoF4Q/1600x1098/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-05.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/vagmmoF4Q/2160x1483/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-05.jpg 2160w)
Still, drugs continued to be a significant presence in the singer’s life, and he recalled getting so “plastered” on Hennessy that he blew a Coachella gig in 2012 that should have been his big break.
![Confession the weeknd crutch sober 06](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/ql2utw0bU/333x500/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-06.jpg 333w)
The singer says that nowadays his drug use doesn’t get out of hand. “Right now, I feel in control,” the singer said. The singer most recently performed at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, where he crossed paths with ex Bella Hadid on stage but barely missed a beat.
![confession the weeknd crutch sober 07](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/XMn2gQ2ph/332x499/2016/12/Confession-The-Weeknd-Crutch-Sober-07.jpg 332w)
Are you surprised The Weeknd openly admitted to needing drugs to make music? Let us know in the comments!