Overview
- At sold-out Stockholm shows this week Abel Tesfaye told fans he “tested retirement” and decided he did not want the Weeknd persona to end, saying he will “never disappear.”
- Fan-shot videos of the Stockholm remarks circulated widely and were picked up by major music outlets, making the reversal public within hours.
- Tesfaye first signaled in 2025 that he was considering retiring the Weeknd name after completing planned commitments, saying the persona felt ‘mastered’ and he needed a new creative headspace.
- The announcement comes while the After Hours Til Dawn tour continues to post massive commercial results, with reporting that it has surpassed $1 billion in gross revenue and sold millions of tickets.
- The Weeknd persona, created in 2011 and framed as closing with the 2025 album Hurry Up Tomorrow, will remain active even as Tesfaye pursues acting, producing and possible future releases under his own name.