Though it was never officially on the market, a palatial Los Angeles estate has sold for a record-breaking $70 million to Abel Tesfaye, also known as The Weeknd. This is one of the most expensive California home sales of 2021. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the “Blinding Lights” singer now owns an approximately 33,000-square-foot megamansion in prime lower Bel Air, a significant upgrade from his previous home in Hidden Hills, which Madonna purchased for $19.3 million in April.
According to property documents, the sellers of the Bel Air home were the Dutch celebrity couple Reinout and Danielle Oerlemans, he was the founder of the TV production company Eyeworks and she a former professional cyclist who dated Lance Armstrong. The couple purchased the existing home for $21.4 million in the summer of 2015 and subsequently completed a three-year renovation that included the addition of 13,000 square feet of living space, an indoor pool/spa, and a variety of opulent amenities. The couple also converted the vaguely Tuscan mansion from the early 2000s into a contemporary showcase with modern furnishings curated from around the world.
On an ultra-private, island-like parcel of land spanning 1.6 acres and overlooking the Bel Air Country Club, the residence is greeted by double gates and a lengthy driveway. The Weeknd will have access to a Turkish-style hammam, movie theatre, fitness center, and distinct music studio.
A formal living room has glossy orange walls and a soaring black marble fireplace, while an industrial-style office and formal dining room have coffered ceilings; nearly all of the living spaces open via floor-to-ceiling glass walls to an outdoor living room and terraces with picturesque views of the golf course.
In addition, there is a tastefully updated gourmet kitchen with high-end appliances, a pair of marble waterfall-edge islands, and copper drawers and cabinets with leather belt-crafted handles. The meticulously landscaped grounds feature a sports court and a pool with an infinity edge and a cascade.
Rayni and Branden Williams of Beverly Hills Estates represented the vendors in the transaction, while Angel Salvador of Beverly Hills Estates represented The Weeknd.