Coat, t-shirt, trousers, and sunglasses, Dior.
Earrings and necklace, The Weeknd’s own
Abel Tesfaye is in the midst of a metamorphosis. Over the past five years, the artist globally known as The Weeknd has engineered one of the most prolific and creative runs in modern pop music history. The enigmatic bachelor and global superstar has seamlessly balanced the creation of concept albums, television, and film, all while embarking on an epic stadium tour. Now, as he prepares to bring this colossal production to Hong Kong this October, he is looking beyond his current persona toward the limitless possibilities of the future. We flew to Paris, seizing a rare opportunity to speak with the artistic genius amidst his busy schedule. During our time together, Tesfaye breaks down the “rat race,” the healing power of live performance, and what exactly happens when you reach the peak of your craft and decide it’s time to hibernate.
GQ: Over the past five years, you’ve forged a legendary run—releasing three albums, launching a record-breaking global tour, and crossing over into film and television. After announcing in Mexico City that you’ll be “disappearing” following this tour, how do you define the “other side” of this transition, and what does life look like for Abel Tesfaye post-The Weeknd?
Abel Tesfaye: Disappearing simply means finally taking some time to focus all my energy on one project instead of juggling multiple things. This past 5 years for me has been creating four concept albums, countless music videos, a TV show, a feature film, and I’m still out here on a massive world tour spanning years. I think disappearing for a little while is well earned.
GQ: Given your previous descriptions of the music industry cycle as a “rat race,” has your personal definition of success evolved from achieving commercial supremacy to attaining absolute creative freedom?
Abel Tesfaye: The rat race is honestly self-imposed pressure to be at the very top of my craft. And I’ve proved that to myself multiple times. Eventually you reach a point where you don’t feel like you have to prove anything anymore. You start thinking about your legacy through a different lens. But there hasn’t been a single moment in my career where I didn’t have absolute creative freedom. I designed it that way from the very beginning.
GQ: You have openly discussed the psychological toll of losing your voice at SoFi Stadium in 2022. How did you process and transform that specific moment of trauma into the foundation for this final chapter of your musical trilogy?
Abel Tesfaye: Like every trauma in my life, I turned it into art. I’ve been blessed with the best therapy in the world, which is the ability to transform my struggles into projects that I can share with the world and finally let go of. I was able to make an album, a film, and even build an entire leg of this tour around such a public incident. I’m proud of that. I learned a lot. But now that chapter is closed. On to the next.
GQ: Stepping away from a globally dominant persona at the peak of its commercial power is exceptionally rare. Was this exit strictly a protective measure for your mental longevity, and were you ever tempted to prolong The Weeknd’s timeline?
Abel Tesfaye: 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.
Trousers, Alexander Digenova
Sunglasses, Gentle monster x Margiela.
GQ: As the After Hours til Dawn Tour surpasses the $1 billion milestone across 153 shows, what physical and psychological regimens do you rely on to sustain such an immense level of output?
Abel Tesfaye: Anytime I feel drained or feel like I’ve reached my limit, I step onto that stage and see all those fans who are just as excited to be there as I am. It washes every problem away. It reminds me why I started doing this in the first place, and it inspires me every single night. Especially during this leg of the tour. I haven’t felt this inspired since the beginning of my career. I’m going to put incredible care into whatever I create next.
Trousers, Alexander Digenova
Sunglasses, Gentle monster x Margiela.
GQ: As you bring this colossal production to Hong Kong in October, what specific creative energy or cultural resonance are you seeking from the audiences?
Abel Tesfaye: Fans in Hong Kong are incredible. They genuinely love music. I plan to spend as much time there as possible and really soak up the culture. A lot of my inspiration has always come from Hong Kong, so I’m curious to see which parts of the show resonate with them the most. I’m always studying. I’ll always be a student. Every experience matters because it shapes the next musical journey.
GQ: How much of your upcoming transition to releasing art under your birth name is a psychological reclamation of your identity prior to global fame?
Abel Tesfaye: The Weeknd was never a mask I wore to hide from myself, Abel was always there. It was simply a lens I chose to tell certain stories through. If I create under my own name one day, it won’t be about leaving anything behind. It’ll just be another evolution.
Necklace and earrings, The Weeknd’s own
GQ: Having conquered chart records, global touring, and philanthropic milestones, what is the first creative endeavor Abel Tesfaye intends to pursue once the persona of The Weeknd is fully retired?
Abel Tesfaye: I can’t even put into words the amount of inspiration I’ve felt over the last year. I can’t contain it. At one point I thought, ‘What if I just stopped?’ But then I realized what a waste all of that inspiration would be. I can’t let that happen. I had a glimpse of what retirement looks like, and it isn’t for me. It’s a real privilege to do what I do. There’s nothing else like this job. The gratitude I’ve felt over the last year has been overwhelming. I’m going to keep doing this for as long as I possibly can. The Weeknd isn’t going anywhere.
GQ: The gold Sorayama statue is the largest fine art piece ever commissioned for a concert. How do you see art empower your work, and are there any artists besides Sorayama that you’ve been keeping an eye on?
Abel Tesfaye: My eyes are always open for incredible artists. I’ve become very close with a lot of artists across Asia, but it always comes down to whether they fit the vision. The visual art has always been just as important as the music. It’s the first window into the world we’re creating. I’m in deep conversations with multiple creative geniuses right now, and for now I’m just studying.
Shoes, Arnodefrance
Sunglasses, Kuboraum.
Photography and Creative direction Anton Reva / Experiment 9
Editorial Director Jumius Wong
Casting Jill Demling
Executive Producer Alexey Galetskiy / AGP NYC
Styling Mitch Modes
Grooming Marc Cutz
Producer Adrien Sagnier / William Romeo
Production manager Alexey Bogomolov
Production design VIDE
Installations VIDE, Isaac Lythgoe
Art objects VIDE, Henri Vanhaerets
Gaffer Alice Brunnquell
Grip Darius Michaud
Digital assistant Nicolas Fleure
Production assistants Francis Kante, Glenn Roitfeld, Marie Diallo
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