On Jan. 24, The Weeknd will unveil his sixth studio LP, Hurry Up Tomorrow. On Friday (Jan. 10), Variety published a new feature with the Canadian star, who broke down the meaning behind the album’s title.

As the final installment of a trilogy (behind 2020’s After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM), the forthcoming body of work touches “on a kind of purgatory and [gets] to the darkest part until you find the light at the end of the tunnel.” The Weeknd also spoke on the album’s overhaul following the Inglewood, California, stop of his “After Hours til Dawn Tour.”

“I had a good chunk of the album done, but then [the SoFi Stadium performance] happened, and other things happened after, and you go right back to the drawing board,” he explained. “This was a really important, pinnacle moment in my life. How could it not be? And as an artist, you’re telling a story, so you get under the hood and try to figure out what’s going on. In the process, I got closer, and I became more grateful. I know it sounds cliché and soft or whatever, but it’s the truth. I’ve been working on myself to not push people away.”

Later in the interview, the “Dancing In The Flames” talent revisited the possibility of retiring his iconic moniker. “It’s a headspace I’ve gotta get into that I just don’t have any more desire for. I feel like it comes with so much,” he admitted about the name. “You have a persona, but then you have the competition of it all. It becomes this rat race – more accolades, more success, more shows, more albums, more awards and more No. 1s. It never ends until you end it.”

The Weeknd continued, “Don’t overstay at the party. You can end it now and live a happy life. You know? Put the bow on it. Hurry Up Tomorrow? Now we’re here. When is the right time to leave, if not at your peak? Once you understand who I am too much, then it’s time to pivot.” He made sure to assure readers that, whether or not his alter ego disappears, he’ll continue to create music.