All the Controversy Surrounding HBO's "The Idol," Explained

In a Variety interview published on June 20, Tesfaye said he hasn't been discouraged by viewers' negative reactions to the first few episodes of "The Idol." In fact, he claimed that he "very much expected" them. "[L]ook, we're playing with genres with this show, we're doing exactly what we wanted to do. And none of this is a surprise," he said. "I'm excited for everyone to watch the rest of the show." The "Dawn FM" singer also said his goal for "The Idol" is for people to reassess how they view fame. "It's almost educational, that this is what comes with being incredibly famous," Tesfaye said of the show's plot.