Mere hours after giving fans a well-timed tease of new music, the Weeknd landed on another magazine cover for an even more in-depth look at what’s to come.
Indeed, deep into the chat with Mark Anthony Green for GQ, Abel got particularly reflective when discussing what he’s learned over the years about the differences between himself and his creation, i.e. the alternate but complementary identity of the Weeknd.
Amid the ensuing discussion, which saw Abel affirming that the story of the Weeknd name “isn’t done yet,” the After Hours artist was asked about speculation among some fans that he’s currently “sober or sober lite.” This prompted a breakdown of where Abel currently stands with regards to sobriety, including the upcoming The Idol star’s assessment of the potential impacts of long term drug abuse.
“I like sober lite,” the recent Doja Cat collaborator said, noting that he uses marijuana and will “occasionally” drink.
“I’m not a heavy drinker, as much as I used to be,” he said. “The romance of drinking isn’t there.”
Asked if “other drugs” were presently a part of his life, Abel confirmed they are not.
“No. Drugs were crutch,” he said. “It was me thinking that I needed it. And not doing the work to figure out how not to need it. And I’ve spent the last few years realizing that and thanking God that I don’t need it. Because for a lot of people, it’s hard to shake it. But I knew I didn’t want it.”
Elsewhere, the topic of the Grammys—most notably the fact that the widely revered After Hours was snubbed—was broached, this time with the added benefit of promoting the idea that “success” is a concept best self-defined when it comes to artists.
Speaking with Green, Abel reiterated that he will no longer submit his music for Grammys consideration in the future. He also said he’s since arrived at a place in his life where he “never” wants to know the real story of how an album of that stature could be ever shut out by such an institution.
“I mean, I have no interest,” Abel said when confirming he still intended to no longer submit his music. “Everyone’s like, ‘No, just do better next time.’ I will do better, but not for you. I’m going to do better for me.”
When asked about who he’d like to work with “soon,” Weeknd mentioned Kanye West. “I’d love to work with Kanye again. Especially on production,” he said.
Following the interview, Mike Dean shared a screenshot of his recent calls on Instagram, which listed “Abel Weekend” multiple times. “If I don’t answer u see why #DONDA,” he captioned the post, with Kanye also sharing the screenshot on IG.
The Weeknd also brought up Tyler, the Creator in the interview, saying, “I got mad love for Tyler, the Creator, and what he’s doing right now. Tyler is funny, man. I remember he came to one of my performances—I think it was like a festival performance. And he was very vocal about how ‘Starboy’ was his favorite song at the time. You can tell he’s waiting for the song. I could see him. As soon as the song happened, he’s like, ‘All right, cool. Thanks.’ And he just peaced out. It was pretty funny. But he’s somebody that I really admire, because he wears his feelings on his sleeve.”
For the full interview, which also includes a dash of intel on an impending new album Abel has “always wanted to make,” click here.
Late last month, the Weeknd was recruited by frequent collaborator Belly for “Better Believe,” which also features Young Thug. Revisit the official video for the collab, directed by Christian Breslauer, below:
And just so there’s zero confusion, as Abel himself recently confirmed directly to fans, what’s next for the Weeknd is indeed “a full body of work.”
