The Weeknd starts using his birth name, Abel Tesfaye: "This is something that I have to do"
This Monday marks not only the end of the weekend, but potentially, the end of The Weeknd, too.
Pop star Abel Tesfaye — previously known under his stage name, The Weeknd — has started using his given name on social media accounts, quietly changing his moniker after saying last week that he wanted to "kill The Weeknd" in an interview with W Magazine.
"The album I'm working on now is probably my last hurrah as The Weeknd," he said in the interview, adding, "This is something that I have to do. As The Weeknd, I've said everything I can say."
Fans took to Twitter to express their thoughts on the name change. One user posted a gif of Miley Cyrus quick changing into her former Disney Channel pop star character, Hannah Montana — likening the two transformations.
"I don't know if I'm ready to say goodbye to The Weeknd, but I'm definitely ready for Abel Tesfaye, his real self," wrote another.
In April of last year, Tesfaye wrote on Twitter, "ABEL formally known as The Weeknd?" suggesting that the decision to change his name has long been in the works.
ABEL formally known as The Weeknd ?
— Abel Tesfaye (@theweeknd) April 3, 2022
As of Monday, while the singer's social media handles are still under his stage name, his display name appears as Abel Tesfaye on Instagram and Twitter. Tesfaye is still listed as The Weeknd on Facebook.
CBS News has reached out to a representative of Tesfaye's for comment, but has yet to hear back. He has not publicly addressed the name change.