The Weeknd has changed his stage name and adopted his real name, Abel Tesfaye, on his social media accounts.

The name change comes after the artist revealed he wanted to "kill The Weeknd" in an interview with W Magazine.

"I'm experiencing a catharsis," he said, referring to a process of release and relief from strong and altered emotions. "It's coming to a point where I'm getting ready to close The Weeknd chapter.

He emphasized that he is trying to shed his skin like The Weeknd and be reborn.

"The album I'm working on right now is probably my last as The Weeknd. Like the Weeknd, I've said everything I can say,” Abel added.

Born in Toronto to two Ethiopian immigrant parents, Tesfaye rose to fame after releasing his first songs on YouTube in 2010, featuring a dark and explicit track that involved drug use or casual sex.

During his music career, he has won four Grammy Awards, had more than 45 platinum singles and albums, and broken many music records.

In March 2023, Guinness World Records declared him the most popular artist in the world due to the number of monthly listeners he had on Spotify.