The Weeknd ‘is not going anywhere’

The Weeknd has declared he is “not going anywhere” after abandoning plans to retire his stage persona and admitting stepping away from music is no longer something he wants.

The Canadian singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, 36, had previously suggested Hurry Up Tomorrow could bring the curtain down on The Weeknd identity after a five-year creative period encompassing three albums, television, film and his sprawling After Hours Til Dawn stadium tour.

But the entertainer has now told GQ Hong Kong he intends only to “hibernate” after completing the tour’s final Asian leg, which concludes with two sold-out concerts in Kuala Lumpur on November 4 and 5.

Explaining what he meant when he talked about disappearing, The Weeknd said: “Disappearing simply means finally taking some time to focus all my energy on one project instead of juggling multiple things.”

He added: “This past five years for me has been creating four concept albums, countless music videos, a TV show, a feature film, and I’m still out here on a massive world tour spanning years. I think disappearing for a little while is well earned.”

He continued: “I’m not going anywhere. My fans know I’ve shed my skin multiple times throughout my career. I was telling one story from 2020 until now, and that story has reached its conclusion. But that’s only the 2020 story.”

The comments mark a reversal after he repeatedly raised the prospect of ending The Weeknd persona as he approached the conclusion of the trilogy formed by After Hours, Dawn FM and Hurry Up Tomorrow.

He said the inspiration he had experienced during the past year had ultimately convinced him that retirement was not for him.

Tesfaye added: “At one point, I thought, ‘What if I just stopped?’ But then I realised what a waste all of that inspiration would be.

“I can’t let that happen. It’s a real privilege to do what I do. There’s nothing else like this job. The gratitude I’ve felt over the last year has been overwhelming. I’m going to keep doing this for as long as I possibly can.”

He is currently completing the final Asian leg of After Hours Til Dawn, with dates across Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong and Malaysia. The stadium tour began in 2022 and has passed $1 billion in reported ticket sales.