In a recent interview, Canadian R&B singer The Weeknd opened up about retiring his stage name, leaving fans wondering what’s in store for the Grammy-winning artist

Better known by his stage name The Weeknd, Abel Tesfaye has undoubtedly made his mark in the music industry, boasting a slew of awards ranging from Grammys to Billboard. But in a recent interview, he dropped a subtle hint that his popular stage name may soon be bidding farewell.

In 2010, Abel began performing under the stage name The Weeknd. He later achieved worldwide fame with his second album, Beauty Behind the Madness, which earned him a Grammy award and spawned hits such as “Can’t Feel My Face,” “Earned It,” and “In the Night.”

During a recent magazine interview, the artist discussed that he is contemplating retiring his stage name. He openly expressed, “I’m going through a cathartic path right now. I’m 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,” Abel further revealed.

It seems that Abel’s decision to retire his stage name may be linked to his recent role in the upcoming HBO drama, The Idol. He plays the character of a cult leader who lacks musical ability, and Abel frankly said that it was a challenge for him to switch between his character and his stage name. “I had to take off the Weeknd outfit, put on Tedros’ wig, shoot with [Lily-Rose Depp’s character, Jocelyn], then go back to being The Weeknd,” he shared, indicating that it was a confusing experience. Abel went on to explain that this was new all for him, and he believes it affected his singing abilities because he was playing a character who doesn’t know how to sing. “My theory is that I forgot how to sing because I was playing Tedros, a character who doesn’t know how to sing. I may be looking too deeply into this, but it was terrifying. As The Weeknd, I’ve never skipped a concert. I’ll die on that stage. But there was something very complicated going on with my mind at that moment,” he added.

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Although the news of Abel potentially changing his stage name may come as a surprise, based on his recent statements, it’s reasonable to say that he still plans to continue making music. For now, that’s the most we can assume.

Prior to his role on The Idol, The Weeknd’s only other acting credit was for the 2019 Netflix film, Uncut Gems, in which he co-starred with Adam Sandler. Two years later, he headlined the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Guinness World Records also named The Weeknd the Most Popular Artist in the World in March of this year for his achievements as the artist with the most monthly listeners on Spotify and the first artist to reach 100 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Photos: THE WEEKND (via Instagram)