For over a decade, Abel Tesfaye has given us many R&B essentials under the stage name The Weeknd. Hailing from Toronto, Tesfaye has paved a path for R&B singers worldwide, even giving other artists an opportunity at success through his label XO.
In an interview with W Magazine, Tesfaye and costar Lily-Rose Depp discuss the details of their new HBO series, The Idol. Tesfaye revealed he has been on an emotional journey, battling an identity crisis as he balances The Weeknd moniker and the character Tedros.
Moreover, the artist intends to retire the Weeknd character and pursue music under different names.
“I’m going through a cathartic path right now,” he said. “It’s getting to a place and a time where I’m getting ready to close the Weeknd chapter. I’ll still make music, maybe as Abel, maybe as The Weeknd. But I still want to kill The Weeknd. And I will. Eventually. I’m definitely trying to shed that skin and be reborn.”
His next album is likely the last time we will hear from Tesfaye under the stage name The Weeknd. Tesfaye had described a plan for his next release to complete previous albums “After Hours” and “Dawn FM” as a trilogy.
Tesfaye explained. “The album I’m working on now is probably my last hurrah as The Weeknd. This is something that I have to do. As The Weeknd, I’ve said everything I can say.”’
This may be the last time we hear from The Weeknd, but not the last we hear of Tesfaye as he pursues music through new characters in a new chapter in life.
