The Weeknd Shares His Frustrations Over a Failed Persona 5 Royal Romance

Fumbling your favorite character in a Persona game is a classic experience for many players. Pop artist Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye recently found out just how disappointing it can be when he tried to romance Tae Takemi, the goth doctor in Persona 5, only to realize he missed his chance.

Tesfaye has been diving into Persona 5 Royal and sharing his journey on his Instagram alt account, @gene.hackerman. Fans of Atlus’ social sim RPGs have been following along like it’s the latest episode of their favorite soap opera. However, things took a turn when he discovered he had overlooked the opportunity to start a romance with Takemi, forcing him to settle for the friendship route instead.

In a recent story post, The Weeknd expressed his disappointment about not romancing Takemi, which came after numerous comments from Persona fans pointing out his oversight. He shared a screenshot that appeared to show Google AI results indicating he needed to initiate the romance during her ninth Confidant conversation, which he failed to do. It’s a classic case of “cryptic away message” vibes, marking a notable blunder during Persona’s 30th anniversary, especially since fans had already noticed his interest weeks prior.

Now, The Weeknd is left without a romantic partner as he continues to change the hearts of villains alongside the Phantom Thieves. Here’s hoping someone fills him in on the requirements to unlock Persona 5 Royal’s new ending, because it would be a real bummer if he missed out on that too.