The Weeknd confused a lot of fans when he said he no longer goes by that name. Instead, he wants to use his real first name, Abel. It was especially jarring after his focus on television with the HBO series The Idol.
However, it doesn’t mean he’s retiring from music. In his interview with W Magazine in May, he explained it’s just time for something new.
“I’m going through a cathartic path right now,” he said. “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.”
Luckily for listeners of his music, the second season of The Idol was canceled by HBO. “The Idol was one of HBO’s most provocative original programs, and we’re pleased by the strong audience response,” a spokesperson for the network shared. “After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers, have decided not to move forward with a second season. We’re grateful to the creators, cast, and crew for their incredible work.”
Source: https://uproxx.com/music/is-the-weeknd-retiring/
