'Starboy' catches The Weeknd's attention after photo goes viral

Among the thousands of people disappointed after The Weeknd's concert was postponed on Friday, one young fan remains hopeful that he will see his favourite musician one day.

Phoenix Prince, 6, and his father, Blake Prince, were among the concert-goers lining up on Friday outside the Rogers Centre. Phoenix, clad in an outfit that resembles The Weeknd's attire from his Blinding Lights music video, began to cry when he heard the concert was postponed.

A passerby caught the moment on camera and posted it on Twitter, where The Weeknd himself promptly retweeted it. He asked: "can someone please find him for me?"

"Phoenix was getting attention with his suit," Blake said. "We had a breakdown moment. He got upset over the fact the show was postponed and somebody captured a picture."

"The Weeknd retweeted it!"

Since then, the father and son have received an "outpouring of love" across social media, with several people saying they want to be just like Phoenix.

The Weeknd was set to perform at the Rogers Centre on Friday night as part of his After Hours Til Dawn Tour. But venue officials announced the concert was postponed only 30 minutes before it was set to begin.

It hasn't deterred Phoenix's determination to meet his favourite musician one day.

"I would say that you're the best artist and that I love your songs and you're so good and I was really looking forward to [the concert]," Phoenix said when asked by his father what he would say to The Weeknd in person.

"And I would ask you for an autograph," he added.

Blake said he and his son had been waiting three years for this concert, as have many fans. The Weeknd's concert tour has been postponed a few times due to COVID-19. After successive COVID-19 waves, the concert was postponed again to accommodate a larger crowd. But his biggest fan was the smallest among them.

"Phoenix has been a fan of The Weeknd since he started hearing his music like two or three years ago," Blake said.

"I thought it was a joke at first," Phoenix said when he heard the concert was postponed. "It made me feel upset."

But after The Weeknd retweeted the photo, Phoenix and his father have been overwhelmed with support and love they have received from the artist and his fans. They hope to meet The Weeknd eventually for that long-desired autograph.

"It's greatly appreciated he took the time to shine the light on Phoenix for a minute there. It means a lot to him," Blake said.

Fans have been told the tickets will be honoured when the concert is rescheduled. Until then, Phoenix is hoping to meet the Toronto-born sensation.

As for Phoenix's favourite songs, he said: "I like Blinding Lights, Starboy, and Sacrifice."