The Weeknd Clarifies He’s Not Leaving Music Behind After Earlier Retirement Talks
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The “Starboy” hitmaker initially revealed in January 2025 that he intended to retire his longtime stage name.
More than a year after the singer discussed the possibility of eventually leaving behind his famous stage identity, he has clarified that fans should not expect him to disappear from music anytime soon. In a recent cover interview with GQ Hong Kong, the 36-year-old artist explained what he meant when he previously talked about “disappearing.”
According to The Weeknd, stepping away for a period would simply give him the opportunity to concentrate on one creative project rather than constantly managing several at once.
The singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, pointed to the enormous amount of work he has taken on in recent years. Since 2020, he has developed four concept albums, produced numerous music videos, worked on a television series and a feature film, and continued performing on a worldwide tour that has stretched across several years.
After such an intense period, Tesfaye said he believes taking some time to himself would be justified.
He also made it clear that taking a break should not be confused with abandoning his career. Rather than walking away, he described his plans as entering a period of “hibernation.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said, emphasizing that his career has gone through several different eras. He explained that the story he began telling in 2020 has now reached its ending, but that does not mean his overall artistic journey is finished.
Looking ahead to a possible life after The Weeknd, Tesfaye said the past year has actually left him feeling more creatively energized than ever. He acknowledged that he had briefly wondered what would happen if he simply stopped working, but ultimately decided that walking away from that inspiration would be a mistake.
The singer said he had already gotten a small taste of what retirement could feel like and realized that it was not the path he wanted to pursue. He also described his career as a privilege and expressed gratitude for being able to continue doing something he considers uniquely rewarding.
For now, The Weeknd remains busy with his After Hours til Dawn Tour, which is currently traveling through Asia. The trek is scheduled to conclude on Nov. 5 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
During an August performance in Stockholm, Tesfaye also addressed the subject directly from the stage. He told concertgoers that he had experimented with the idea of retirement but ultimately realized he did not enjoy the feeling of stepping away.
The singer’s comments build on remarks he made in a January 2025 Variety cover story, when he discussed a difficult period in his career. He recalled losing his voice during a 2022 concert in Los Angeles and said the experience left him feeling defeated and questioning his relationship with his public persona.
At the time, Tesfaye explained that the experience forced him to pause, reassess his life, confront what had happened and begin moving forward in a different way. He also described experiencing a mental breakdown, saying that the emotional period became a major influence on the album he was creating.