The Weeknd has returned to his real name on his social media channels – after vowing to “kill” his professional persona.
The 33-year-old Blinding Lights singer has been known as ‘The Weeknd’ for 12 years.
He recently revealed his plans to drop the name after the release of his next album.
And he has now changed his username to his real name – Abel Tesfaye – on his social media platforms, including Twitter and Instagram.
The four-time Grammy award-winning artist previously revealed that “The Weeknd” came about because he dropped out of school, took his mattress, “went away for the weekend and never came home.”
Name change: Pop icon The Weeknd has reverted to his real name on his social media channels
New look: The Blinding Lights singer recently revealed plans to drop the name and be known as Abel Tesfaye
It’s missing the ‘e’ to avoid copyright issues as there was already a Canadian band called The Weekend.
Fans had a mixed reaction to the change, as they flooded to social media.
One tweeted: ‘Going to miss the weekend 🙁 but I’m excited for abel.’
Another added, “Always gone be the WEEKND TO ME,” while a third quipped, “everything but The Weekday.”
In the new issue of W magazinethe artist said he wants to “kill” his music personality.
“I’m going through a cathartic path right now,” began Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez’s ex-beau.
“It’s coming at a place and a time where I’m getting ready to close the Weeknd chapter,” he stated before adding that he’ll “still be making music, maybe as Abel, maybe as The Weeknd.”
His full birth name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, but he became known as The Weeknd with the 2016 album Starboy.
Transformation: The star ushered in a new era by updating his social media accounts with the name
However, he is done with the nickname. “I still want to kill The Weeknd. And I will. Possibly. I’m definitely trying to shed that skin and be reborn.”
Tesfaye continued, “The album I’m working on right now is probably my last hurrah as The Weeknd. This is something I have to do.
“As The Weeknd, I’ve said all I can say.”
And the artist shared that if both The Weeknd and Abel were not easy on the actor for his health.
“I had to take off the Weeknd outfit, put on Tedros’ wig, shoot with Jocelyn, and then go back to being The Weeknd,” he said.
‘Then, after the concert, I lost my voice. There was no voice at all. That has never happened before.
“My theory is that I forgot how to sing because I was playing Tedros, a character who can’t sing. I may be looking too deep into this, but it was terrifying.
“As The Weeknd, I’ve never skipped a concert. I performed with the flu. I will die on that stage. But something very complicated was going on with my mind at the time.”
Mixed reactions: Some fans were looking forward to the change, but others were less enthusiastic
Catharsis: ‘I’m going through a cathartic path right now,’ began Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez’s ex-beau
It was not easy for him to get into acting.
“It was a challenge to redo The Idol, and honestly, I sacrificed my health and home to make it work. So let’s say it comes out and it’s fucking awful. I still know that I did my very best.
“From what I’ve seen, the show is great. Everything is a risk: if you’ve done your best, I’d call that a happy ending.’
The Weekend will star in HBO’s upcoming project The Idol, starring Lily-Rose Depp, which will be released on June 4.
The pop issue of W Magazine will be in the stands on May 23.