The Weeknd is not retiring after all. After threatening to retire his stage persona last year, Abel Tesfaye has reversed course.

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He initially told Variety he was ready to move on after 16 years. However, he changed his mind during a Stockholm show last month. He told the crowd:

“I’ll never disappear. I love this too much to ever disappear. I tested retirement a little bit, and I don’t like the way it feels. I’ll be here forever with you.”

In a new interview with GQ Hong Kong, he clarified his stance. He explained that “disappearing” simply means focusing on one project instead of juggling multiple things. He said:

“I’m not stepping away from anything. I’m just hibernating. I’m not going anywhere. My fans know I’ve shed my skin multiple times throughout my career. I was telling one story from 2020 until now, and that story has reached its conclusion. But that’s only the 2020 story.”

He added that he had “a glimpse of what retirement looks like, and it isn’t for me.” Consequently, he plans to keep going as long as possible.

The singer is currently on his After Hours til Dawn tour. He performs in Japan this weekend before wrapping the nearly four-year global run in Kuala Lumpur on November 4-5.

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