Not ABEL!
It’s been over a year and a half since The Weeknd talked about retiring his stage name.
If you didn't know, the singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, said in early 2025 that he stepping away from his performance persona "The Weeknd."
Speaking to Variety at the time he said: "I would say my existence as the Weeknd, It’s a headspace I’ve gotta get into that I just don’t have any more desire for."
NEVER! The Weeknd said he took a break but didn't like the feeling. And that it will never disappear again. 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/qsqqvWm9ul
— QG The Weeknd (@QGTheWeeknd) August 8, 2026
"I feel like it comes with so much… You have a persona, but then you have the competition of it all. It becomes this rat race: more accolades, more success, more shows, more albums, more awards and more No. 1s. It never ends until you end it.”
However, during a recent concert in Stockholm, Sweden, the Grammy winner backtracked retiring the moniker.
In a clip shared to X he told the crowd: "I tested retirement a little bit, and I don’t like the way it feels. Imma be here forever with you."
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