The Weeknd has announced plans to retire his stage name in favor of his birth name, Abel Tesfaye, following the release of his upcoming album "Hurry Up Tomorrow" on January 25.

In a recent Variety interview, Tesfaye explained that he's ready to close the chapter on The Weeknd persona, citing the pressures of maintaining a public image and the endless pursuit of accolades. "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. 1's. It never ends until you end it."

A pivotal moment in this decision came during his 2022 Los Angeles concert when he lost his voice and had to reschedule. "Part of me actually was thinking, 'You lost your voice because it's done; you said what you had to say,'" Tesfaye reflected.

Despite retiring The Weeknd moniker, he remains committed to making music. "No one's gonna do The Weeknd better than me, and I'm not gonna do it better than what it is right now," he stated, expressing excitement about new challenges ahead, including the upcoming "Hurry Up Tomorrow" companion film scheduled for release by Lionsgate in May.

The artist has already begun transitioning to his birth name on various social media platforms, marking the beginning of this new creative chapter in his career.

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