Last year Abel Tesfaye cast some doubt on his future as The Weekend, but in a new interview with GQ Hong Kong, he shed some light on where he stands in regards to his famous moniker.
Asked about where he plans to disappear following the conclusion of his After Hours Til Dawn Tour, Tesfaye downplayed any dramatic exit.
“Disappearing simply means finally taking some time to focus all my energy on one project instead of juggling multiple things,” Tesfaye explained. “This past 5 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.”
During a concert in Stockholm last month, Tesfaye announced that he’ll “never disappear. I love this too much to ever disappear,” adding that he “tested retirement a little bit, and I don’t like the way it feels. Imma be here forever with you.”
He is now doubling down on cancelling any retirement plans, admitting, “I’m not stepping away from anything. I’m just hibernating. 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.”
In regards to his moniker, Tesfaye adds that “The Weeknd was never a mask I wore to hide from myself, Abel was always there. It was simply a lens I chose to tell certain stories through. If I create under my own name one day, it won’t be about leaving anything behind. It’ll just be another evolution.”
As GQ points out, the After Hours til Dawn Tour has now surpassed the $1 billion mark across 153 shows. And yet, the 36-year-old from Scarborough says he is at a strong place in his life, and we ain’t seen nothing yet.
“I haven’t felt this inspired since the beginning of my career,” he says. “I’m going to put incredible care into whatever I create next.”