The Weeknd skipped interviews because he didn't want to look stupid

Soul man The Weeknd declined all interviews as his career took off in 2011 because he feared he'd look stupid.

A high school drop-out, the Can't Feel My Face singer, admits he didn't think he was well-spoken enough to look good in articles, and he started studying crossword puzzles in an effort to improve his vocabulary.

"In my head, I still have this insecurity when I'm talking to someone educated," he tells Rolling Stone. "I don't want them looking at me like 'this f**king retard'."

But the singer, real name Abel Tesfaye, admits his decision not to give interviews worked well for him, as it created a mystery around the Canadian star.

"People were kind of liking me being a f**king weirdo," he adds.