LOS ANGELES

Singer The Weeknd says he has an "off-and-on" relationship with drugs, but they don't dictate his life.

The Grammy-winning musician has always been open about his affiliation to drugs and has also referenced the topic in his songs like ‘Often’, ‘Rolling Stone’, ‘The Zone’, ‘Wicked Games’ among others,

"I have an off-and-on relationship with it. It doesn't consume my life but occasionally helps me open up my mind, especially when I'm creating, but when I perform I'm completely sober and try not to even drink. I've learned to balance thanks to touring," The Weeknd told CR MEN magazine.

The 30-year-old singer, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, said he is a workaholic and it prevents him from feeling lonely. "I spend most of my days alone now. I don't like to leave my house too much. It's a gift and a curse but it helps me give undivided attention to my work.

"I enjoy being a workaholic, I think, or I'm just addicted to it. Even when I'm not working I'm always somehow still working. It distracts from the loneliness, I guess," he said.