Surprise, surprise — the Weeknd isn't retiring after all. Having long teased giving up his stage name, Toronto pop prince Abel Tesfaye has now promised, "Imma be here forever with you."
"I'll never disappear. I love this too much to ever disappear," Tesfaye told the crowd during a recent concert in the Stockholm outskirt of Solna. "I tested retirement a little bit, and I don't like the way it feels." Footage from the show can be seen below.
Tesfaye has spent the last few years saying that he would step away from his music career. In 2023, he said he was going to "kill the Weeknd," and last year he promised that his 2025 album Hurry Up Tomorrow would be his last.
He said at the time, "You said what you had to say. Don't overstay at the party — you can end it now and live a happy life.' You know? Put the bow on it: 'Hurry Up Tomorrow'? Now we're here. When is the right time to leave, if not at your peak? Once you understand who I am too much, then it's time to pivot."
If he plans to make more albums, it would be a great idea if they were better than Hurry Up Tomorrow! His non-musical endeavours, such as the companion film Hurry Up Tomorrow and the TV show The Idol, have been critical and commercial flops.
NEVER! The Weeknd said he took a break but didn't like the feeling. And that it will never disappear again. 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/qsqqvWm9ul
