Congratulations The Weeknd!
The elusive singer has been finally locked down into a committed marriage….to Universal Republic Records.
It’s been almost two years since Team Missinfo.TV first posted enthusiastically about a new talent from Toronto named The Weeknd….and since then, he and his crew have gone from obscurity to being the most sought-after unsigned star in music.

But it’s official, The Weeknd and “the initiative behind him, XO, have forged a strategic partnership with Republic Records.” The very label that your mentor Drake almost signed to (but in some odd political snafu, he ended up with Republic’s sister label Universal Motown. Wasn’t there some sort of power struggle between Motown’s Sylvia Rhone and Republic’s Monte Lipman at the time?). And the new Weekend x Republic partnership is on hyperspeed…
Their first release, Trilogy, is already set for November 13, 2012. The project will combine all three of his previously released mixtapes, House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence,…with new songs.

What else does The Weeknd, XO, and Universal Republic have planned?
Read the full announcement!
After the jump

I’m pasting the full Republic Records x The Weeknd press release below…but it sounds like The Weeknd’s manager Jake and his fellow creatives, will be able to form off-shoot projects. The release says: “The XO initiative has grown from a small collective— with roots based in the metropolitan streets of Toronto— to a marquee business partner, and it will only evolve further within this structure.”

What’s less clear for now is what Drake’s involvement in this deal. Just a few months ago Drake talked about The Weeknd’s free agent status, saying:
“As far as on paper, it’s all being worked out, but that’s not really what counts anyway. What counts to me is the fact that the affiliation is so known, and that’s all I really care about. I want to continue being involved in his career and vice versa and keep making music together…” Does Drake have a senior position in the “XO initiative”? Or is he an orchestrator in this deal?

So what do you think about the big news? I almost thought that the Weeknd was going to be the one to completely sidestep the major label structure…the way that many industry insiders thought Drake had the chance to do. After performing at such huge events like Coachella, and scoring major success with his mixtape downloads…Weeknd would certainly be able to get fans to buy his album regardless of how he put it out.
At some point, the same way that Louis C.K. has redefined his business of creative content distribution….will there be a music artist who can do the same? With the same rewards?

Either way…making a major label partnership has worked very well for Drake, and will undoubtedly do the same for The Weekend….probably because the boundaries of the relationship have been set by The Weeknd and his record of independent performance. He holds all the cards here.

Official Announcement of The Weeknd and XO’s Partnership With Republic Records:

Critically-acclaimed Canadian ALT/R&B trailblazer THE WEEKND and the initiative behind him, XO, have forged a strategic partnership with REPUBLIC RECORDS (division of UMG). The artist/producer is set to release Trilogy, in stores and online November 13, 2012 as part of this high-profile partnership.
Trilogy contains his highly lauded mixtapes, House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence, all mixed and mastered for the first time. In addition to the 27 original cuts, both the physical and digital editions will feature new, unreleased material. It’s an impressive collection and the perfect introduction to his enigmatic and entrancing sound.
Last year, House of Balloons instantly stirred up unparalleled excitement from tastemakers. Complex extolled the mixtape as the “best album of 2011″, and Pitchfork bestowed the “Best New Music” title upon it. Dominating year-end lists across the board, it claimed number 5 on Stereogum, number 6 on The A.V. Club, number 8 on The Guardian (UK), and number 13 on Spin. Other praise came from MTV, BET, Rolling Stone, XXL, and The Source who even named him the “Songbird of his generation”.
His peers have also embraced him just as enthusiastically. DRAKE, along with his team OVO, was the first A-list recording artist to publicly proclaim his adoration for THE WEEKND’s music. The two joined forces and collaborated on several tracks from his chart-topping album, Take Care. The most recognizable song from their work together, “Crew Love,” showcased THE WEEKND’s vocals throughout. “Crew Love,” which THE WEEKND also co-wrote and co-produced— instantly became a stand out hit single from the platinum-selling album. DRAKE returned the favor by lending his vocals to one of THE WEEKND’s most popular tracks, “The Zone,” from his Thursday mixtape.
Expanding across genres further, THE WEEKND was tapped to create official remixes for FLORENCE + THE MACHINE and LADY GAGA. His take on FLORENCE’s “Shake It Out” became the single’s first formal remix, and his interpretation of GAGA’s “Marry the Night” was a dark centerpiece of her release, Born This Way: The Remixes. You can also find THE WEEKND’s signature voice on 2 CHAINZ’s chart-dominating new album, Based on a T.R.U. Story. The rapper uses a sample from “The Birds (Part 1)” off the singer’s Thursday mixtape as a hook for his track, “Like Me”.
Trilogy will be preceded by the first single, “Wicked Games”, available on iTunes and other digital retailers soon. An ethereal keyboard entwines with the singer’s raw, confessional, cinematic lyrics just before he carries a massive hook through a lonely space. The song is honest and heartfelt.
In addition to “Wicked Games,” the collection boasts an array of diverse tracks. Another standout is the infectious and intoxicating “High For This,” which gained notoriety by being prominently featured in the advertising campaign for the final season of HBO’s popular hit series, Entourage.
THE WEEKND has become an international live draw with shows from coast to coast. His first headlining tour sold out across the United States. He’s also made surprise guest appearances on DRAKE’s Club Paradise tour, and has performed at high-profile festivals such as, Coachella, Primavera Sound Festival, and the Wireless Festival in London. Right now, you can catch him on the road with FLORENCE + THE MACHINE through October 10th. Concurrently, The WEEKND kicks off his own headlining tour, “The Fall Tour,” at the end of this month.
The joint venture between REPUBLIC RECORDS and the Canada-based XO sees THE WEEKND’s vision preserved and magnified on a much larger scale. The XO initiative has grown from a small collective— with roots based in the metropolitan streets of Toronto— to a marquee business partner, and it will only evolve further within this structure.
Together, REPUBLIC RECORDS, XO, and THE WEEKND are breaking new ground via their collaboration. This historic partnership sees one of the most unique independent entities in music, XO, ally with one of the most forward-thinking companies in the business, REPUBLIC spearheaded by the artist’s vision. It’s the beginning of what will undoubtedly become an influential paradigm and a paragon for trend-setting art.
Experience Trilogy and get to know THE WEEKEND November 13, 2012.
About Republic Records
A division of Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company, Republic is home to an all-star roster of multi-platinum, award-winning legends and superstar artists such as 3 Doors Down, Amy Winehouse, Black Sabbath, Colbie Caillat, Eddie Vedder, Enrique Iglesias, Florence + the Machine, Godsmack, Owl City, The Voice (NBC-TV), Gotye, Of Monsters & Men, Mayer Hawthorne, among many others.
It is comprised of innovative imprints and digital business ventures including Republic Nashville (The Band Perry), Cash Money (Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj), Indie Pop (Dev, The Cataracs), Lava Records (Jessie J, Black Veil Brides), SRC (Akon, Melanie Fiona), Aware Records (Mat Kearney), Brushfire (Jack Johnson, G. Love), Tuff Gong (Damian Marley), Downtown (Miike Snow), among others.

A Timeline of The Weeknd’s Meteoric Rise:
2011…
The Next Big Thing: Drake, Diplo and MissInfo.tv are watching The Weeknd “Wicked Games”
The Weeknd: Who Is The Man Behind “House of Balloons”?
The Weeknd’s “High For This” Selected As Entourage’s New Theme Song
New Music: The Weeknd Remixes Drake’s “Trust Issues”
The Weeknd Performs “House of Balloons” and More at His First Solo Concert in Toronto (Video)
Drake’s OVOFest 2011 With Lil’ Wayne, Stevie Wonder, Nas, J.Cole, Rick Ross, and The Weeknd (Video)
Drake Calls The Weeknd: “One of the Greatest Artists I’ve Ever Heard”
The Weeknd Drops His Much Anticipated 2nd Mixtape, ‘Thursday’, Featuring Drake (Fixed Link)
The Weeknd Remixes Florence and The Machine’s “Shake It Out” (Radio Rip)
Lady Gaga Enlists The Weeknd On “Marry The Night (Remix)” (New Music)
The Weeknd Delivers His New Project, ‘Echoes Of Silence’ (New Mixtape)

2012…
The Weeknd Gets Into His First Celeb Beef…With The-Dream?
The Weeknd Performs His First U.S. Show at Coachella 2012 (Full Set Video)
The Weeknd Kicks Off His Intimate U.S. Tour in Brooklyn (Video)
Diddy Circles Around His New Target in Miami: The Weeknd?
Drake on The Weeknd’s Label Status: “As Far As on Paper, It’s All Being Worked Out”
Drake Rocks ‘Club Paradise’ NY with Dipset, Busta Rhymes, The Weeknd, Mavado & ASAP Rocky