The thing about The Weeknd and Bella Hadid is that they didn't just date. They basically became a whole subculture. If you were online between 2015 and 2019, you couldn't escape them. One minute they’re looking like a moody Givenchy ad at the Met Gala, and the next, they’re providing the most awkward runway moment in television history.
It was intense. It was glamorous. Honestly? It was kind of exhausting to watch.
Even now, years after their final split, fans are still dissecting every lyric Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) drops, looking for a ghost of Bella. And for good reason. They were the blueprint for that "toxic-but-fashionable" aesthetic that dominated the late 2010s. But behind the paparazzi shots of them in matching camouflage and the birthday puppies, there was a lot of real-world friction that eventually burned the whole thing down.
How the Weeknd and Bella Hadid Actually Started
Most people think they met at a club or a high-end fashion party. Nope. It was actually supposed to be a business transaction. Back in early 2015, Abel was working on Beauty Behind the Madness. He wanted Bella to be on the album artwork.
He told Rolling Stone that his motive was "literally to work with her."
She said no.
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Persistence paid off, though. He suggested they meet face-to-face anyway. By Coachella 2015, they were spotted flirting, and the "Abella" era officially began. It’s wild to look back and realize Bella was only 18 at the time while Abel was 25. That age gap is something fans bring up a lot more now in 2026 than they did back then, especially considering how much of her "growing up" happened under the lens of that relationship.
That 2016 Victoria’s Secret Moment
You know the one. We’ve all seen the meme.
Bella Hadid is walking the runway in metallic lingerie, looking like a literal angel, and she has to walk right past her ex-boyfriend who is performing "Starboy." They had broken up just weeks before. The eye contact? Cold. The professionalism? High.
She later told E! News there was "no awkwardness," but come on. Anyone with eyes saw the tension. It was the ultimate "look what you're missing" moment, and it cemented them as a couple that could never truly stay away from each other.
The Breakup-and-Makeup Cycle
The timeline of The Weeknd and Bella Hadid is more of a circle than a line. They split in November 2016. Then Abel moved on to Selena Gomez for a high-profile ten months.
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When that ended? He went right back to Bella.
By 2018, they were "exclusive" again. They were living together in New York. They were taking trips to Tokyo. It looked like they might actually go the distance. But the problem—according to basically every source close to them—was the same thing that kills most celebrity romances: the schedule.
Abel is an artist who disappears into his work. Bella is a model who lives on an airplane. You can't build a life when you're never in the same time zone. By August 2019, they called it quits for the "final" time, citing being in "different places" mentally and physically.
The Music: Was She the Muse?
You can’t talk about The Weeknd and Bella Hadid without talking about the songs. Abel has basically admitted that his heartbreak is his best fuel.
- "In the Night": Bella literally starred in the video.
- "Die For You": Fans are 99% sure this is a love letter to her.
- "After Hours": The whole album feels like a descent into the regret of losing someone.
- "Save Your Tears": The music video featured a model who looked suspiciously like a "plastic surgery" version of Bella.
It’s a bit dark when you think about it. Every time they broke up, he got a Grammy-winning album out of it. Bella, meanwhile, had to watch her private pain turned into global anthems. In a 2022 podcast, she talked about her history of "people-pleasing" in relationships and how she kept going back to people who didn't necessarily treat her well. She didn't name names, but fans didn't need her to.
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Where They Stand in 2026
The vibe has shifted. Bella Hadid is in a completely different chapter now. Since late 2023, she’s been dating Adan Banuelos, a professional horse trainer. She’s living a much quieter life in Texas, focused on her health and her equestrian career.
She recently shut down an interviewer who asked about a "toxic ex," saying, "We’re not doing that in 2025." (And clearly, we aren't doing it in 2026 either).
As for Abel? He’s still The Weeknd. He’s been linked to Simi Khadra, and he’s been focusing on his film and TV projects like The Idol and his upcoming music. He seems to have moved past the "sad boy" era that Bella inspired, though the internet will likely never let the connection die.
The Real Legacy of Abella
The obsession with The Weeknd and Bella Hadid persists because they represented a specific kind of "cool" that felt untouchable. But the reality was a lot messier. It was a relationship built in the spotlight, fueled by artistic ambition, and ultimately broken by the very careers that made them famous.
If you're still "shipping" them, it might be time to let go. Bella clearly has.
What to do if you’re still reeling from the "Abella" era:
- Check the lyrics: If you want to see the evolution of their relationship, listen to Starboy vs. After Hours. The shift from "I'm a god" to "I'm alone" tells the whole story.
- Follow the fashion: Look at Bella’s style evolution from 2015 to 2026. The shift from "video girl" to "Texas equestrian" is the ultimate sign of personal growth.
- Respect the boundaries: Bella has been vocal about her mental health and Lyme disease. The best way to support her is to celebrate her current peace rather than her past drama.