Abel Tesfaye has been a force in the music industry for more than a decade under the guise of the Weeknd, but it appears the alter ego may be entering retirement pretty soon.
In a new interview with W Magazine, “The Idol” actor and co-creator discussed his plans to release new music and dove deep into behind-the-scenes details on his upcoming musical drama that’s set to premiere on HBO later this June.
“It’s getting to a place and a time where I’m getting ready to close the Weeknd chapter,” he told the publication. “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.”
Tesfaye has previously spoken about an elaborate roll-out plan for his next musical project and hinted at the completion of a trilogy that includes 2020’s “After Hours” and last year’s “Dawn FM.” Though the specifics of those plans remain un/confirm/ied, the singer did say that “The album I’m working on now is probably my last hurrah as The Weeknd… This is something that I have to do. As The Weeknd, I’ve said everything I can say.”
On the theme of alter egos, Tesfaye spoke at length about the trials and tribulations of balancing his time as the Weeknd while also stepping into his character — a cult leader named Tedros — on the new HBO series that also stars Lily Rose-Depp.
“It was tough to go from one head to another,” he said, going on to explain how the overlap played into him having to cancel a second concert at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium after losing his voice.
“That’s never happened before,” he continued. “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’ve performed with the flu. I’ll die on that stage. But there was something very complicated going on with my mind at that moment.”
The W Magazine interview appeared as part of a cover story that also featured commentary from Depp.One of the most-anticipated series of the year, “The Idol” has had its fair share of scandal-ridden delays and reshoots following the sudden exit of original director Amy Seimetz in 2022. Seimetz was later replaced by “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson in a move that drew a fair share of criticism.
“Film and TV is a new creative muscle for me,” Tesfaye said about the reshoots. “I don’t release my music until I think it is great. Why would this be any different?”
