Last year, The Weeknd told Variety he was ready to retire the persona after 16 years, and the internet did not take it well. In a new GQ Hong Kong interview, Abel Tesfaye is clearing things up: he’s not going anywhere.“I’m not stepping away from anything. I’m just hibernating,”he said, adding that he tested retirement a little and didn’t like how it felt. So that retirement announcement was more of a nap.
His current era, though, is a different story. Tesfaye says the narrative that started with After Hours has reached its conclusion, meaning the chapter is closed even though the artist remains. That’s a subtle but real distinction for fans who have been following the arc since 2020.
Meanwhile, the After Hours til Dawn tour keeps rolling with Japan dates on September 19 and 20, before wrapping in Kuala Lumpur on November 4 and 5. So if you’re holding a ticket for the final shows, you’re catching the end of one very long, very loud story. Are you relieved he’s sticking around, or were you kind of curious what a post-Weeknd Abel era would sound like?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.