Pop star Nelly Furtado has announced she is stepping away from live performances “for the foreseeable future” to focus on new creative and personal pursuits.
A New Chapter for the Singer
The 46-year-old Canadian artist shared the news on Instagram, explaining that she wants to “pursue some other creative and personal endeavours that I feel would better suit this next phase of my life.”
“I have enjoyed my career immensely, and I still love writing music as I have always seen it as a hobby I was lucky enough to make into a career,” she wrote. “I’ll identify as a songwriter forever.”
Furtado expressed deep gratitude to her fans, collaborators, and everyone who has supported her over the years. She included a throwback photo of herself at age 20 before her first professional show, alongside a recent video from the Citadel Music Festival in Berlin, where she said she finally understood “what receiving flowers means.”
Facing Online Criticism
Furtado’s announcement follows months of online body-shaming after her performance at the Boardmasters Festival. She responded defiantly at Manchester Pride, wearing an oversized T-shirt featuring a cartoon of a woman in a crop top and mini skirt — widely seen as a message to her critics.
Earlier this year, she also shared a bikini selfie promoting “body neutrality” as part of her 2025 wellness mindset, celebrating newfound confidence and self-love amid growing public scrutiny.
Celebrating 25 Years of ‘Whoa, Nelly!’
The announcement coincides with the 25th anniversary of her debut album Whoa, Nelly!, which featured the global hit “I’m Like a Bird” and sold over five million copies worldwide.
“In the year 2000, I remember hoping some kid would dust off the Whoa, Nelly! vinyl one day and think it was cool,” Furtado reflected. “I never could have guessed there would be so many new ways to discover ‘old’ music in 2025.”
Rediscovery Through TikTok
Thanks to a recent viral resurgence of her songs on TikTok, Furtado’s music has reached a new generation of fans.
“To have so many people rediscovering my music has been surreal and joyful,” she said. “It’s made me really believe in magic.”
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