The Weeknd contemplating retiring his public persona

R&B star The Weeknd is considering ditching his stage name.

The Starboy hitmaker, born Abel Tesfaye, has found huge success in the music industry as his alter ego, but the 27-year-old admits he may make a change for future releases.

"Kind of like pulling a Ziggy Stardust," he tells Harper's Bazaar magazine of his future plans, referring to the persona once used by late rocker David Bowie. "Maybe I'll retire from being The Weeknd, or maybe I'll just give him a break."

The Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter does not share whether he will start using his real name for his next project, but one thing he is sure of is keeping certain aspects of his life away from the public eye.

"I'm not in a rush to let people know everything about me. Mystery is always great," the Canadian says. "Luckily, the only thing the world demands of me is music. I don't have to give them anything else for the rest of my life."

The Weeknd's comments appear to refer to his personal life, particularly his high-profile romance with pop star Selena Gomez, who he began dating earlier this year (17), weeks after his split from supermodel Bella Hadid.

While he is hesitant to share any information about his current relationship, his girlfriend Selena has been a little more open, and in her new interview with InStyle magazine, she insists their romance works so well because they have very separate public identities.

"I don't depend on one area of my life to make me happy," Justin Bieber's ex explains. "It's really important for me to love and nourish my friends and family and to make sure that I never get influenced by a guy.

"Before, I was so young and easily influenced, and I'd feel insecure. You want someone to add to your life, not to complete you, if that makes sense. I'm lucky because (The Weeknd is) more of a best friend than anything else."