So, Is The Weeknd Over After 'Hurry Up Tomorrow'? Abel Tesfaye Explains
Is it a real farewell, or just bait? Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye made sure fans would be talking about his latest work, hinting at his rebirth afterward. But how real is that? Let's find out!
How do you make people talk about you? Give them something extra, then take it away. Reverse it and make sure nobody knows what to expect next. This is exactly what Abel Tesfaye did when he hinted that his The Weeknd persona would end with his new movie, Hurry Up Tomorrow.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Tesfaye hinted that he might not be closing the door on The Weeknd after all. Talking about the potential farewell to The Weeknd, he said:
"It feels like it. I mean, I've kind of toyed with the idea in the past with albums. But it could also just be a rebirth. Who knows?"
Earlier Tesfaye said he wanted to “retire” the persona due to exhaustion from the endless cycle of fame and performances. However, the film Hurry Up Tomorrow, premiering in theaters on May 16, could serve as either a farewell or a bold new chapter.
Will 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' Change It All?
For over a decade, The Weeknd has redefined the sound of modern pop and R&B. However, with the release of his latest album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, and the premiere of its companion film of the same name, fans are wondering if this marks the end of an era. After all, Abel Tesfaye himself has been hinting at this shift for some time.
In interviews over the past year, he’s spoken openly about leaving behind his alter ego: the tormented, darkly glamorous persona that propelled him to superstardom with albums like old House of Balloons and Beauty Behind the Madness, and of course the 2020 hit After Hours.
“This is probably my last hurrah as The Weeknd,” Tesfaye told EW in earlier interviews promoting the album.
Both fans and critics are interpreting this as a symbolic farewell. However, Tesfaye has clarified that, although The Weeknd may be coming to a close, his music and overall career is far from over.
"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.”
Still, with or without The Weeknd, one thing is clear: Abel Tesfaye isn't going anywhere, he's just turning the page.
