It’s been over a year and a half since The Weeknd talked about retiring his stage name.
The 36-year-old Grammy-winning singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, said in early 2025 that he was closing the chapter as “The Weeknd,” and later addressed phasing it out.
However, during a recent concert in Stockholm, Sweden, the entertainer backtracked retiring the moniker.
Why The Weeknd is not retiring his stage name any time soon
“I tested retirement a little bit, and I don’t like the way it feels. Imma be here forever with you,” he told the crowd on Saturday (August 8), via fan footage shared to X/Twitter.
What The Weeknd previously said about retiring the name
“I would say my existence as the Weeknd,” he told Variety. “It’s a headspace I’ve gotta get into that I just don’t have any more desire for. 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.”
He continued, referencing a concert where he lost his voice at the start of the show: “Part of me actually was thinking, ‘You lost your voice because it’s done; you said what you had to say. Don’t overstay at the party — you can end it now and live a happy life.’ You know? Put the bow on it: Hurry Up Tomorrow? Now we’re here. When is the right time to leave, if not at your peak? Once you understand who I am too much, then it’s time to pivot.”
Last year, The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour became the highest-earning tour in history by a male solo artist!
He’s currently still touring the show, with a third night in Stockholm TONIGHT (August 10), followed by shows in London, Dublin, and more. The tour is set to wrap in Malaysia in early November.
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