“Imma be here forever with you,” the R&B star said during his Saturday, Aug. 8 show in Stockholm
Credit: Pedro Becerra/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- The Weeknd has changed his plans when it comes to retiring his stage name
- In fan-captured footage shared on X from his concert on Saturday, Aug. 8, the R&B star said that while he “tested” getting rid of his name, he ultimately decided against it
- The Weeknd initially teased the idea of retiring his persona in January 2025
The Weeknd has backtracked on his plans to retire his stage name.
In fan-captured footage on X from his Saturday, Aug. 8 concert in Stockholm, the R&B star, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, told the crowd why he changed his mind about the decision he initially teased in January 2025.
“I tested retirement a little bit, and I don’t like the way it feels. Imma be here forever with you,” The Weeknd, 36, told the crowd.
In May 2025, The Weeknd opened up to PEOPLE about retiring his stage name.
Credit: Samir Hussein/Getty
“Have I started? Yeah, it’s getting there,” he said at the time. “I mean, I’m on tour right now, so I can’t fully retire it.”
When asked if changing his moniker had brought up any emotions, The Weeknd coyly added, “Oh, I can’t tell you too much.”
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In a January 2025 Variety cover story, The Weeknd spoke about how losing his voice during a 2022 concert in Los Angeles left him feeling “defeated” and made him question his public persona.
“I knew that I really needed to sit the f— down and figure out my life,” the “Blinding Lights” hitmaker said at the time. “To understand what happened, face it, learn something new and start again. I’d had a kind of a mental breakdown, which is pretty much what this new album’s about.”
He further revealed how the experience contributed to his desire to retire his moniker.
“Part of me actually was thinking, ‘You lost your voice because it’s done; 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,” said The Weeknd at the time.
He continued, “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.”
The Weeknd noted he was no longer interested in the “headspace” that came with his stage name.
“You have a persona, but then you have the competition of it all. It becomes this rat race: more accolades, more success, more shows, more albums, more awards and more No. 1s. It never ends until you end it,” he said.
However, at the time, The Weeknd clarified that he had no intention of quitting music.
“I don’t think I can stop doing that,” he said. “But everything needs to feel like a challenge. And for me right now, the Weeknd, whatever that is, it’s been mastered.”
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