The Weeknd has signalled that he is abandoning plans to retire his stage name, telling fans at a recent tour stop that he will "never disappear". The Canadian artist, real name Abel Tesfaye, had previously suggested that 2025's "Hurry Up Tomorrow" – the final album in his "Blinding Lights" trilogy – would be his last release under the moniker, framing it as a deliberate exit while at his creative peak. His apparent reversal comes as he continues to tour under the name to enormous commercial success.

Speaking in Stockholm during the European leg of his "After Hours Til Dawn" tour, Tesfaye said he had "tested retirement a little bit" and did not like how it felt, adding that he would be "here forever". The tour, which began in 2022, has become the highest-grossing ever by a male solo artist, taking over $1billion (£740million) and selling more than 7.5million tickets. He is due to play five nights at London's Wembley Stadium from 14 to 19 August and two dates at Dublin's Croke Park later in the month, before the tour moves on to Asia.