The Weeknd Walks Back Retirement Talk, Says He's Only 'Hibernating'
Abel Tesfaye, known as The Weeknd, told GQ Hong Kong he is not retiring but simply focusing on one project at a time. He described his earlier comments about disappearing as a 'hibernation' period, emphasizing he will remain in music. Tesfaye said his recent creative output, including four concept albums and a film, justified a temporary pause.
Tesfaye's clarification follows months of mixed signals about his future. After telling Variety last year that he was ready to move on from his stage persona, he reversed course during a Stockholm concert, telling fans he had "tested retirement" and disliked it. His recent output includes four concept albums, a television show, and a feature film, all completed alongside a multi-year world tour.
The After Hours til Dawn tour continues through Asia this month, with upcoming stops in Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Hong Kong before concluding in Kuala Lumpur in November. Tesfaye has released music under The Weeknd name since 2011, and his comments suggest the current creative arc, which began in 2020, has reached its narrative conclusion.
This reversal may reassure the artist's substantial global fanbase, who could otherwise face an abrupt end to a major commercial and cultural force in pop music. It may also signal that high-profile artists increasingly view "retirement" as a flexible concept rather than a permanent exit, potentially shaping how audiences interpret similar announcements from other performers in the future.