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The Weeknd jokes that he might ‘pull a Ye’ and change his name

John Legend tweeted in support of the idea

Sam Moore
Tuesday 05 April 2022 14:50 BST
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The Weeknd performs with dancers in face bandages at Super Bowl 2021 halftime show

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The Weeknd has joked with fans that his is considering changing his name just like Kanye West.

The “Can’t See My Face” singer was talking to fans on Twitter when he raised the idea of changing his name to simply “Abel” which is his birth name.

He wrote: “I feel like I should change my stage name to ABEL at this point. Maybe pull a YE and just legally change my name to ABEL.”

West legally changed his named to Ye last October, though is still credited as Kanye West on music streaming services.

The Weeknd then compared himself to other pop legends who go by only one name. “No last name. Like Madonna or Cher or Prince,” he wrote. “I don’t know it seems like a lot.”

The singer then made another reference to Prince, writing: “ABEL formally known as The Weeknd?”

John Legend, who was previously signed to West’s record label Good Music, tweeted in response: “ABEL is dope.”

Born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, The Weeknd has stated that his stage name originated from when he decided to drop out of high school and leave home, all in the same weekend.

West has spoken publicly about his reasons for changing his name, saying: “I believe ‘ye’ is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and in the Bible it means you. So I’m you, I’m us, it’s us.”

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