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The Weeknd and Jimmy Fallon Surprise Fordham Graduates with Incredible DJ Set and Live Show

In a surprise moment that left students speechless, The Weeknd and Jimmy Fallon crashed Fordham University’s graduation party on May 15, delivering an unforgettable night of music and celebration. Fallon,…

A split image of The Weeknd attending Lionsgate's "Hurry Up Tomorrow" World Premiere on May 13, 2025 in New York City on the left and Jimmy Fallon attending the People's Choice Awards 2018 at Barker Hangar on November 11, 2018 in Santa Monica, California on the right.
Jamie McCarthy via Getty Images / Matt Winkelmeyer via Getty Images

In a surprise moment that left students speechless, The Weeknd and Jimmy Fallon crashed Fordham University's graduation party on May 15, delivering an unforgettable night of music and celebration. Fallon, disguised as a "special guest DJ," took over the booth for roughly 200 students before revealing the true headliner. "They have no idea that I'm about to DJ for them," Fallon said. "They also have no idea that The Weeknd is going to perform."

The appearance came just hours after Abel Tesfaye, known globally as The Weeknd, debuted in a late-night television interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. During the segment, he discussed his new and reportedly final album under The Weeknd moniker, Hurry Up Tomorrow, and expressed admiration for Tom Cruise, crediting Cruise's lip-sync to "I Can't Feel My Face" on The Tonight Show for propelling that track's success.

The musical performance featured The Weeknd with a three-piece band. It began with subdued lighting before bursting into vibrant colors during the song's crescendo. It was part of The Tonight Show's signature entertainment segments, which combine music, comedy, and celebrity interviews and air on weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET.

Following the album's release, The Weeknd is slated to begin a massive global tour, indicating that while this may be the end of "The Weeknd" as a name, Tesfaye's presence in the music industry remains strong. Senior Emma Ritchie captured the crowd's reaction best: the surprise performance, she said, "exceeded her expectations." The Fordham crowd was left buzzing as Fallon and The Weeknd delivered a once-in-a-lifetime live experience.