The time to bid farewell to Starboy may be approaching sooner than anticipated. After 14 years crafting mesmerizing mood-making soundtracks, The Weeknd has hinted at the possibility of a new chapter awaiting him on the horizon – possibly away from music.
Amid anticipation for his acting and producing debut on the already contentious HBO series The Idol, TheWeeknd’s path in the entertainment industry seems to be veering toward television, as suggested by his recent candid interview with W Magazine. The musician delved into various aspects of his ongoing pursuits and, notably, shed light on what lies ahead for the “Save Your Tears” singer, and it appears that TheWeeknd may be no more.
“I’m going through a cathartic path right now,” he said. “It’s 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.”
The decision to venture away from his musical persona after more than a decade and multiple albums arises from his own identity crisis, having portrayed two distinct versions of himself for years: Abel Tesfaye and TheWeeknd. While the singer assures his fans that music will continue to be a part of his journey beyond this chapter, the face behind his voice might belong to Abel, rather than to TheWeeknd.
Throughout the years, fans have witnessed the singer’s evolution through various stages of his creative narrative. As each album unfolded a different story, accompanied by his music videos – which got progressively bloodier and violent – the impending farewell for TheWeeknd does not come off as entirely surprising. Nonetheless, bidding adieu to the emblematic persona that has even accompanied Abel to awards shows will certainly prove to be a challenge for fans.
For the time being, the singer can still be seen on stage as TheWeeknd for the second leg of his world tour, slated to start on June 6 in Portugal.