Canadian singer Nelly Furtado has announced that she is taking a break from performing. The artist, known for hits like “Maneater” and “Promiscuous,” shared the news on social media, stating she has “decided to step away from performance for the foreseeable future.” At 46 years old, Furtado expressed her intention to focus on “other creative and personal endeavours that I feel would better suit this next phase of my life.”
This decision comes after Furtado completed her Better Than Ever summer festival tour. Her announcement follows a recent performance at Manchester Pride, where she made a subtle but powerful statement against body shaming. During the event, she wore an oversized t-shirt featuring an optical illusion cartoon of a woman’s hourglass figure. On the back, the words “Better than Ever” were printed in a tattoo-style font.
While Furtado did not explicitly address the outfit’s meaning, her stylist Phil Gomez shared an Instagram post afterward, stating that the look was meant to “shut down body shamers.” Furtado has long spoken out about body image issues. In a recent interview with People, she recalled how her olive skin was often lightened in photos, and her hips were frequently edited out in editorials.
In January, Furtado addressed false rumors about her appearance on Instagram. She clarified that she has never undergone any facial or body surgeries, except for veneers on her top teeth. She also emphasized that she has not had any lip injections or fillers. Furtado encouraged her fans to “express yourself freely, celebrate your individuality, and know that it’s perfectly OK to be OK with what you see in the mirror, and it’s also OK to want something different.”
Stepping away from stage performances
Furtado, who won a Grammy for her debut single “I’m Like a Bird,” returned to music in 2024 after a seven-year hiatus. She told Grammy.com that she felt “called back to the industry by the industry, especially DJs.” She mentioned hearing her songs played at arena shows and house parties, which inspired her to create new music.
Her decision to take a break coincided with the 25th anniversary of her first studio album, Whoa, Nelly! In an Instagram post, Furtado shared a photo of herself at age 20, preparing for her first professional performance at Lilith Fair. She also posted a video from a Berlin concert this summer, showing her “finally understanding what receiving flowers means” as the crowd chanted her name.
Reflecting on the past 25 years, Furtado expressed joy that her music has reached a new generation of fans. She wrote, “It’s been so fun embracing this opportunity, getting out on stages again and seeing up close the true lasting power of good music.” Despite stepping away from performing, she remains passionate about songwriting. “I’ll identify as a songwriter forever,” she said.
Furtado also thanked everyone who helped make her “pop dreams come true on a creative and organisational level.” Her announcement marks a significant moment in her career, as she chooses to focus on new creative ventures while celebrating her legacy.