Super Bowl Sunday is ready for the Weeknd.

Capping off a wildly unpredictable year of pandemic twists and turns, the Toronto-raised R&B singer will take one of the worldB次元官网网址檚 biggest stages to perform his trademark dystopian pop tunes.

This yearB次元官网网址檚 broadcast from Tampa, Fla. will look unlike any other with the stadium limited to 25,000 screaming football fans and 30,000 cutouts to fill the vacant spaces, according to the National Football League.

And that raises the bar for the singer, born Abel Tesfaye, to turn out an unforgettable theatrical performance. HeB次元官网网址檚 got plenty of firepower, though, considering his 2020 smash B次元官网网址淏linding LightsB次元官网网址� recently entered an elite club of songs that have spent at least 60 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Here are five things to know ahead of the WeekndB次元官网网址檚 performance at the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show:

THE PRIMER: Before the big show, the Weeknd unleashes B次元官网网址淭he Highlights,B次元官网网址� an album of selections from his career. But donB次元官网网址檛 call FridayB次元官网网址檚 release a Greatest Hits package. Even though it features megahits B次元官网网址淚 CanB次元官网网址檛 Feel My FaceB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淪tarboy,B次元官网网址� his record label insists this is merely an assembly of TesfayeB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渂est and favouriteB次元官网网址� songs. They see it as B次元官网网址渁 way to present some of the WeekndB次元官网网址檚 most notable works in one placeB次元官网网址� for newcomers.

POSSIBLE SURPRISES: If B次元官网网址淭he HighlightsB次元官网网址� isnB次元官网网址檛 a Greatest Hits, perhaps the Super Bowl starter pack offers clues to possible special guests Sunday night. Headliners often pull other big-name performers into their show, and the WeekndB次元官网网址檚 new album includes tracks he made with superstars including Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande and Daft Punk. That has fans wondering if any of those names could make a splashy cameo.

HIS INVESTMENT: Whatever happens Sunday, itB次元官网网址檚 clear Tesfaye is aiming high. In a recent interview with Billboard, his management team said he invested $7 million of his own money into the halftime show performance to achieve his vision. The NFL doesnB次元官网网址檛 pay halftime artists, and having one foot part of the bill is unheard of. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been really focusing on dialling in on the fans at home and making performances a cinematic experience,B次元官网网址� Tesfaye said.

HIS WORLD TOUR: As with everything in the pandemic, nothing is set in stone. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why it wasnB次元官网网址檛 surprising to see the Weeknd bump his massive concert tour from late 2021 into next year. HeB次元官网网址檒l now kick off his 104-date After Hours World Tour in Vancouver on Jan. 14, 2022. Other Canadian stops include Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal.

CANADIAN COMPANY: The Weeknd joins an exclusive group of only two other Canadians whoB次元官网网址檝e graced the Super Bowl halftime stage. Shania Twain rocked out alongside No Doubt and Sting in 2003, while Dan Aykroyd adopted his Blues Brothers persona for a soulful revue that featured James Brown and ZZ Top in 1997.

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David Friend, The Canadian Press

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