# The Weeknd Debuts New Song Sampling Neon Genesis Evangelion Theme

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-09-21 06:20 UTC · Category: Entertainment

## Executive Summary
The Weeknd debuted a new song titled 'Tokyo' sampling Neon Genesis Evangelion during his Japan concert.

## Intelligence Brief
According to coverage from outlets including Billboard, Pitchfork, Stereogum, Complex, and Paste Magazine, the artist known as The Weeknd has premiered a brand new track during a live performance in Japan. Titled 'Tokyo', the song prominently features a sample of the theme song from the iconic anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. The debut took place as part of the artist's live concert event in the country, capturing significant attention across both music and pop culture reporting due to the unexpected collaboration. Additional reporting from publications such as JamBase, Yahoo, WION, and DualShockers emphasizes that the live debut featured a direct collaboration with Yoko Takahashi, the original singer of the Evangelion theme.


Coverage also notes the involvement of NieR creator Yokō Tarō, connecting multiple prominent Japanese creative figures to the event. The concert served as the launch for the final leg of The Weeknd's ongoing 'After Hours Til Dawn' tour, marking a major milestone for the current concert series as it moves through Asia. Context provided across the sixteen tracked articles highlights the intersection of mainstream North American pop and Japanese anime culture. The unexpected pairing of The Weeknd with Yoko Takahashi and Yokō Tarō bridges the worlds of contemporary stadium pop and legendary anime music franchises.


Outlets like Anime News Network and Kotaku contextualized the surprise performance within the broader landscape of Japanese entertainment crossovers, noting the presence of both musical and gaming luminaries at the kickoff event. As the final leg of the tour continues following the Tokyo launch, ongoing coverage does not yet specify official release dates or streaming availability for the newly debuted song 'Tokyo'. Observers and fans following the updates from sources like bandwagon.asia, Fame Magazine, GameTrader.SG, and The Music Universe will be monitoring subsequent tour stops for further performances, official announcements, or additional details regarding the Evangelion-sampled track.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| bandwagon.asia | The Weeknd brought 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' to his 'After Hours Til Dawn' concert in Tokyo — gig report | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizwFBVV95cUxPeE1FOHEwdFl6TkZnUmtaWS03VWNFNTRXNkg5QVJ1UFBtajFhLXlydFFveHJJSFF0WU55dFd5aXlyOTAxc2phVjN0d2h1WTc3blVKOF8xQXVXbDBDVkdvZUt3c25LWU9hRFZpMGdWNWFzTVJNUWFCWEJlSHY3Nk9RTGRnV0stVEsyYWJ5dXFoc25HeE9tMjlqRTJGOVdnRzRyRElmbDlDOUw3R1lvNlVwZlZMSkpZekpVMjVUNjFNWW1LeDJFdUw2T1VVbEJobkU?oc=5) |
| JamBase | The Weeknd Debuts Anime-Sampling ‘Tokyo’ With Yoko Takahashi In Japan | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMieEFVX3lxTFBkRWcwSUpoTThhUnRvRG40RDZDZC1XUUM0TXNIOGpCR1YxNnZlWlJRLW8wcUNXdDNnZzRUYUREbC1FX1FQMGRWS2VydmRHNWJreEl0Z3ZjOHFRcnRiZ0d2ZG4zdms1NUpKMVNvLTU0Si1iWl9Uc3F1Sg?oc=5) |
| Complex | The Weeknd Debuts New Song Sampling Yoko Takahashi’s Theme Song for ‘Neon Genesis Evangelion' | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiAFBVV95cUxPZGp3ZERuU1FDdl9sZGV5NFJNeXdKeTJRQmlNVlp4Z0hPR0FvU2U4REJORHg5MzFrZ0FCbkdiYVIyd29uN3BjSWNUWTJuaXk4cWNzazJieGw2dTBZV1FWVFZiejBld2tHVEJ0OFMwUlZCLWkxSzdjaDIzNnUwSktIQkJuNnB2TVY5?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | The Weeknd Debuts New Song With Yoko Takahashi | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMioAFBVV95cUxPX0tud0hqaEZnX2VfLVZMdk9ZcDlRVy1WVkJVa3liNUFhTXF4cjlIVFZMU1JkTjVxRjlLT3lLazJDdUptQnE2OUo5TFZibkdtcnE4d3BaVFVTUndzbTRvUEJGcmYwdGd3emFjMUp2TTlGaUNYQ3Y3ajFWMzZ3a1R6NVc1YzRKWEhmZmR3Tlp1S2VBcy1xQ1Q5bWwtZ3pDczB6?oc=5) |
| famemagazine.co.uk | The Weeknd Launches Final ‘After Hours Til Dawn Tour’ Leg in Tokyo | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinAFBVV95cUxOT1dXSW4wVzk1RVhsNFV4dGMxbTdCaTdWQlZFWGtRV3FTcDktNjRLbDhNMHRvc3NTazZxMEkwbHFwcFB3NXdVUmxNTWg1bHUzYUJaVVZBZnpRTEFuWDlyalBMV1A0bWxWTkVFWTFiZ0tkNTU5a0pwSEVfekRFdnNLNlVFbFF6aVp3UGN0T3Q1UllRWUFxc2xlYW1ZbEY?oc=5) |
| Paste Magazine | The Weeknd debuts new song "Tokyo" in Japan | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxOX09GazZBWGhzeHhrT245aVJMYWpMajdpM2ZJZnp6MlRoMjdETU43SGdIN0M1QWMwSlR5MTNNQWZBMlZqQmF3QXlTcU5mSFczLXBVZTNwVHBtMTIxdjd4WnhNamtlN3hJbldmNVNrR2FZcVZFWXpkdGZyYU5GZ0VISFZPYl9ZNmhEUTZ3cjNlQ3BIQQ?oc=5) |
| The Music Universe | The Weeknd debuts new song in Tokyo | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMic0FVX3lxTE1VaGxsWGZQTVgtU0F0ZlVBU1NvWHB5cS0yV3labW95V0tvVy1ZRGNNZUNVU3JMbVkwcVVDMkRtcTBXNHl0QjA2dnpSZ1FaOW94NUFDVlE3MVFmdGJwVEhwcnU4VV9wUThqeWtaeEZsSlRWLWc?oc=5) |
| GameTrader.SG | Yokō Tarō Goes Live With The Weeknd — Singapore Double Bill | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMieEFVX3lxTE84dXk1cnZJdEt0cnlUOTRNWUp0TGNzZS1JWmF0SHBvQkI3c2hNUmQ0R0k3bzlFcGQ3S3ItVWEycjk0Sk1uQlNIajJBXzdHNnZ0dEllbXpOaTZuVHl3SmZYeHc0VkwtREdYU1ZidGJWRUxsUklBVkZDNg?oc=5) |
| Kotaku | Potential Glimpse At Yoko Taro’s Neon Genesis Evangelion Drops At The Weeknd Concert | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiswFBVV95cUxQTndhOWswbG5CWEhIY05jOW9ENE5MQ3VTVFNkWFYxYUlKS19CUnBSWTd0SmJEWnlQZ1BCTE9wbDBBbEF2dFBlcDlVOWtfY2hFQk9uTHA3Y1Noa3owZmEwSDFpSC1aRlNrUjFpcVJaQTVGRVpfM21BeHQtWFFJQW85Nmt6ck9POV9qQVlHbzRFM3UzUk0tOTVJeHp2cjJCRlVMcjZSallFYjlnM2JqSlZtNjZpbw?oc=5) |
| Türkiye Today | The Weeknd debuts new song at Japan concert | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxPRlJvaXNTRElzNGtfUlRlXzV6ZktPejgzUWVLSWljd1EtZmdGYTMwTGNlZWNObndpUF9KSFBoRnpQZnhzdDlyZVlLdW5oNUhrWDFGbURjWkNuM0sxblQyWjY3Q0paYlJCQmd4Uk94c1pjZTZqSWJwcFkzVHR0MkhpR1JnRi1zUjlVR2QwYUZXQTlRZw?oc=5) |
| animenewsnetwork.com | NieR's Yokō Tarō, Evangelion's Yoko Takahashi Collaborate on The Weeknd's Latest Tour | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi1gFBVV95cUxQdkVSUGhteTc4NmJ3QnF5SDMyOWtLNE5IeGdkVVZvZlpacldUTTlzd0tYN2xjZlZHSDJ1NTN2ZlZXRmFVekVReEk4WUV5anNrUlpxamhlbk5haVBaOXdSazZMNTNaQkdCMmlmZFc2c3hCRjBxNDZRTlVZeHZJd3dNU3owNEZsLVF2di1Sa2psc3JncFRSb1BLNU1kLTVTZFQwa1dwMnFDdzFraWtBVG8zWVFHUU5xaG1JWi1yb2JvVF81cGVxeFpFRVRwTEVTVl9qWnpCWDFB?oc=5) |
| Billboard | The Weeknd Debuts New Song Sampling ‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ Theme in Japan | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirgFBVV95cUxQUmRyMjA0bklNWTB4VlF4V0JoZ0JkbE5odWkxOTVXV0dMY2o4dGZTSXF5dWFRN0h4Z2JBNTBNSGFpdmFxVlVaTTRCTFYxZHBRWVVmekt2YWZwLXZMS2lLSzd3TVc5SjhuVG10M0V3WkNOMk5pQ0pFWlV1UXBiRndWdmxvdTZVenRzQklMYTkzR3lyWXdPaHowdjB3WlpHd1F0bkdIWmE2bi1zSTdJSXc?oc=5) |
| WION | The Weeknd unveils new song ‘Tokyo’, performs with Yoko Takahashi at Japan concert | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiywFBVV95cUxNSHVPM3Joclh5VVdvbUFpUm9zOE1rNHptMG1uZG5lejk2YmhIangydFpQSGVQejF3SDVTNWJNV3NlSW4xSnJVN2hHZ3NkSFJpbjlOdDdDZVJhdGsyRkdpRXljdmVoYVN4QUFId3YybzNfbklTdzNRYzdvX3dWQVRkN2JkN0FMSFY3WVUzNUs3UFptc3NGdzRkMFJ1blhMQ0hMenl5SEdmMDZjNGN2LU1fZlEtbC1GSDJzS2tpTkkxYmNnSUk3NDYweU5PUdIB0AFBVV95cUxOVnBHbFRHVHpvWDZQZWtLZExZQndYb3JIamhtUktqREItdlotN0x5Uk5MQlJaTlB5eTlDWWlpYWdRRUdNeG0takwtcndwblVtTERNMTdnelQzcUN6YWZLMXFSTTFqemNUZ0gtQ2w3SkdLRFNGZUs4c0lWTENnYThFLUlScDI2NGN) |
| dualshockers.com | The Weeknd Teams Up With NieR Automata and Evangelion Singer in New Song | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilgFBVV95cUxOUXlXU1JLVFJsV2EwaXVFRVhYQVRralRZNnlnOE10VktWSm50U3Rzd0N5WkUzVkRuaWxDWGRGOWdlRDg4S3BiUVlsWVBfdkt4MndyX0Z6T2J1emIzWmZSTWNmTXJFNXNpMTdJOTIwS2xYWTR6ZWg4ZmNOeDdLOFhqNzVhQUl1RVM0R1hGOGM1VzFfdFZqc3c?oc=5) |
| Stereogum | The Weeknd Debuts New Song “Tokyo” With Yoko Takahashi At Asian Tour Kickoff | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirgFBVV95cUxQbXBXcV9MV0hXUkxWZDVvbWJubnJQNzJFdWwzV01FNjM5NnFOMndpNExzN2hvLVJpU1Y5eS1RMmZYUGt5TWxVMEpudnRMNFpFTHpWSDZrbGhPb3pycDcxd0Z4Z0d6LVpRVU1FNTUwVXZIMDVrV2UzVXVuQnAzb1BrcUZlUkR3UFJGUUVBaG9FV0F0d3lGMjVMRlVCZllCWXQtc3hOLUVLYlZMM3ZIUEE?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoaiapps.com/trend/2026-09-21/the-weeknd-debuts-new-song-sampling-neon-genesis-evangelion-theme*