For months, The Weeknd has been preparing fans for what many thought might be the final chapter of his music persona — a project that could close the book on over a decade of enigmatic artistry. But with the release of “Hurry Up Tomorrow”, both as a film and an album, Abel Tesfaye is leaving the door open: maybe it’s the end — or maybe it’s just the beginning of someone new.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Tesfaye addressed the speculation head-on.
“I’ve thought about ending The Weeknd before,” he admitted. “But maybe this is a rebirth. Who knows?”
A 15-Year Journey from Shadows to Spotlight
The Weeknd burst onto the scene in 2011 with House of Balloons, cloaked in mystery and dripping in moody R&B. Over the next decade, he became one of the defining pop artists of his generation — collecting Grammy wins, billions of streams, and critical acclaim for albums that blended genre, darkness, and vulnerability.
A Film Born of Breakdown
The inspiration for “Hurry Up Tomorrow” came from a real-life crisis: the night Tesfaye suddenly lost his voice during a stadium show in 2022.
“That moment unlocked something,” he said — a point of reckoning that led him to explore identity, fame, and burnout in the form of a psychological thriller.
In the film, Tesfaye plays a fictionalized version of himself spiraling into existential confusion, guided by a mysterious figure named Anima, portrayed by Jenna Ortega. He co-wrote the script with Trey Edward Shults and Reza Fahim, and also served as lead actor and producer.
The Persona That Forgot How to Rest
Tesfaye has long hinted at feeling exhausted by his stage identity.
In a past interview, he confessed:
“It’s an endless chase — more awards, more No. 1s, more shows. It never stops... unless you stop it yourself.”
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” may not be a goodbye. But it’s certainly a pause, a mirror, and perhaps a map toward whatever — or whoever — comes next.
