It finally happened. After years of teasing, cryptic tweets, and "last hurrah" interviews, the man who gave us Blinding Lights is officially hanging up the red suit and the bandages for good. If you've been refreshing his Instagram lately, you’ve noticed the transition is pretty much complete.
The Weeknd new name isn't actually a "new" name at all—it’s Abel Tesfaye.
Honestly, it feels a bit like watching a long-running TV show finally reach its series finale. We’ve lived through the Trilogy era, the Starboy era, and that psychedelic, blood-soaked After Hours nightmare. But according to Abel himself, the "Weeknd" character has simply run out of things to say. He’s mastered the persona. Now, he wants to be a human being again.
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Why Abel Tesfaye is "Killing" The Weeknd
The decision to ditch the moniker didn't happen overnight. It’s been a slow-motion car crash of a rebrand that started way back in 2022. You might remember the SoFi Stadium incident where he lost his voice mid-show. That was a turning point. He told Variety in early 2025 that in that moment of silence, he felt like the universe was telling him it was over.
"You said what you had to say," he reflected. "Don’t overstay at the party."
There's something kinda poetic about that. Most artists cling to their brand until it becomes a parody of itself. Abel is doing the opposite. He’s ending it while he’s still the most streamed artist on the planet. He’s called the move "cathartic." Basically, the Weeknd became a "rat race" of accolades and No. 1s that he no longer wanted to run.
The "Hurry Up Tomorrow" Transition
If you’ve listened to his latest project, Hurry Up Tomorrow, you’ve heard the sound of a man mid-metamorphosis. Released in January 2025, the album serves as the final chapter of the trilogy that began with After Hours and Dawn FM.
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It’s a weird, beautiful, and sometimes disjointed record. It features everyone from Anitta to Justice and Lana Del Rey, but the core theme is clear: death and rebirth. The album cover—showing his face fire-scarred and screaming—is a literal image of the persona being burned away.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Name Change
A lot of casual listeners think he’s retiring from music. He isn't. He’s explicitly said he can’t stop making music. It’s a part of his DNA. What’s changing is the vibe. The "Weeknd" was a character defined by toxicity, late-night drug binges, and a specific brand of beautiful misery. Abel Tesfaye is a 35-year-old man who wants to explore film, psychological thrillers, and maybe even a "brighter" sound.
- Misconception 1: He’s quitting the industry. (Nope, his tour with Playboi Carti runs through 2026).
- Misconception 2: He’ll never play the old hits. (He’s still performing them, but as a "legacy" act rather than as the character).
- Misconception 3: It's just a marketing stunt. (While it definitely sells records, the shift in his social media handles and interviews suggests a genuine identity crisis).
From "The Noise" to "Abel"
To understand where he’s going, you have to look at where he started. Before he was The Weeknd, he was Kin Kane. He was part of a group called Bullies and Nerds. He even went by "Just Abel" for a hot second in 2011.
The name "The Weeknd" was actually a backup plan. It was supposed to be the title of his first mixtape, House of Balloons. He hated his real name at the time, so he took the title, dropped the "e" because of a Canadian band already called The Weekend, and the rest was history.
Returning to Abel Tesfaye is essentially him coming full circle. It’s a reclamation of the identity he tried to run away from when he was a 17-year-old high school dropout leaving home with nothing but a mattress and a van.
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The Impact on the Industry
Is this going to work? Rebrands are notoriously hard. Think of Snoop Lion or Prince’s "Love Symbol" era. Usually, fans just keep calling them by the old name.
But Abel is different. He’s spent the last five years blurring the lines between his music and his acting roles in things like The Idol and the Hurry Up Tomorrow film. By the time 2026 rolls around, "The Weeknd" will likely feel like a specific era of 2010s-2020s pop culture, while Abel Tesfaye becomes the name of a multi-hyphenate mogul.
What’s Next for the Artist Formerly Known as The Weeknd?
So, what should you actually expect in the coming months?
First, don't expect him to stay quiet. He’s already brainstorming what comes after the "Weeknd" trilogy. Fans on Reddit have been speculating about a "Dad era"—less toxicity, more introspection. He’s also heavily invested in his film career. The psychological thriller Hurry Up Tomorrow, starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, is his big play to be taken seriously as a cinema lead.
If you’re a fan, you’ve basically got two options:
- Mourn the loss of the "Starboy" who could make a song about a cocaine bender sound like a wedding dance.
- Get ready for something more stripped down and vocal-heavy.
Personally, I’m betting on the latter. He’s mentioned wanting to do music that reflects his Ethiopian heritage and his current headspace. The "Weeknd" was a mask. We’re finally about to see what’s underneath.
Your Next Steps:
Keep an eye on his official streaming profiles. As his current tour ends in 2026, you’ll likely see the "The Weeknd" discography archived or moved, with new singles appearing under Abel Tesfaye. If you haven't seen the film Hurry Up Tomorrow yet, watch it—it's the clearest roadmap we have for his new creative direction.