The Weeknd reveals he had a ‘mental breakdown’ ahead of new album and is thinking of going by his real name

The Weeknd has revealed that he is “kind of.” [had a] mental breakdown’ after losing his voice on stage, which has now led him to reconsider ditching his stage name and using his real name Abel Makkonen Tesfaye.

In an interview with Varietythe Blinding Lights star explained how he opened his mouth to sing and nothing came out during a concert at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in September 2022.

While he described his voice as his “secret weapon,” the shocking loss of his singing suddenly made him question everything. “I knew I really had to sit down and figure out my life,” he said.

‘To understand what happened, you have to face it, learn something new and start over. I kind of had a nervous breakdown, and that’s kind of what this new album is about.”

The 34-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter noted that his voice had never failed him before, even while performing with a high fever and being completely ill.

“I was on stage in the middle of a rift or a death in the family; and I had lost my voice during a performance,” he said.

“But I could always fight through it… I would do all these vocal exercises on stage, like ‘Be-be-be-be-be,’ trying to get it back… I got beat with everyone on watching the world stage.’

At the time, he explained what happened to his audience, apologized, offered a refund and promised a new date.

“I had to go out and face it. And also, so they could see, “I physically can’t give you the show you paid for.” When I watched the video later, the reactions weren’t actually that bad,” he explained.

The image he had of the moment in his mind was very different.

‘In my head all I heard was shouting and screaming, hatred and anger. I felt so defeated. The next day I went to my doctor and he said, “There’s nothing wrong with you. [vocal cords] are inflamed, but nothing unusual.”

“And then we realized it was all here,” he said, pointing to his head, before revealing the inspiration that came from that for his album and film “Surger Up Now.”

‘I had a good part of the album ready, but then [SoFi] Something happened, and then other things happened, and you go right back to the drawing board,” he said, explaining that this was a “highlight” moment in his life.

‘Gradually I became closer and more grateful. I know it sounds cliché and cheesy or whatever, but it’s the truth. “I’ve been working on myself not to push people away,” he admitted.

As a result of his mental breakdown that caused him to lose his singing voice, he worked with the feeling, “This could all be over.”

‘It’s almost as if my whole life flashed before my eyes. And then I started thinking about my family – my mother, my father, the people in my life,” the singer said.

The upcoming album – due out on January 26 – is called Rush Up Tomorrow and it is the final part of his trilogy, which includes 2020’s After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM. The three albums create a story that revolves around a semi-autobiographical figure.

The accompanying film is a suspense thriller co-written by and starring The Weeknd, alongside Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.

The Weeknd’s character in the film, out May 16, struggles with his self-esteem and fame, including an event that mirrors his experience at his SoFi concert.

And his new album could be his last under the name The Weekend.

The singer, born Abel Tesfaye, is considering performing and recording under his first name.

“Part of me actually thought, ‘You’ve lost your voice because it’s done; you said what you had to say.

“Don’t stay at the party too long – you can end it now and live a happy life,” he explained.

‘You know? Put the bow on it: Hurry tomorrow. Now we are here. When is the right time to leave, if not at your peak?

“Once you understand too well who I am, it’s time to change,” he said.

And The Weeknd’s experience with his television show The Idol has also given him a new perspective.

‘I’m really proud of it, we all are. It’s a shame that, you know, it wasn’t the warmest [response]but we knew what we were making – something provocative and dark.

‘Not everything you put out will connect, and that’s fine. If not, then…it was a while…Believe it or not, neither [the criticism] felt personal. Of course it affects you – I’m not saying I wasn’t affected by it; “I’m saying I didn’t take it personally,” he said.

‘I don’t expect everyone to love ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ either. Some people may hate it, but that’s not why I do this.

‘I do it because I’m an artist; this is how I feel, and this is what I want to say.”