Pop Music
Nelly Furtado Announces Indefinite Break from Performing After 25 Years
Grammy-winning superstar Nelly Furtado has announced she will be stepping away from performing indefinitely, marking a major shift in a remarkable 25-year career. The Maneater and I’m Like a Bird hitmaker shared the personal update in an emotional note posted to Instagram, where she reflected on her evolution as an artist and a mother.
Nelly Furtado expressed immense gratitude for the resurgence of love for her music among younger fans—a revival fueled heavily by TikTok—and the joy she has rediscovered performing live in recent years. Yet, she says this moment signals an important transition.
“I’ll Identify as a Songwriter Forever”
In her heartfelt announcement, Nelly Furtado wrote that while she has “felt so actualized” onstage, she now plans to focus on new creative and personal projects that align with what she calls “the next phase” of her life. She emphasized that songwriting remains at the core of her artistic identity: “I still love writing music as I have always seen it as a hobby I was lucky enough to make into a career.”
The singer noted that returning to live performance recently made her believe again in the “true lasting power of good music”—and even in a bit of magic.
Nelly Furtado with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake
A Legacy of Hits and Reinvention
The timing of her announcement was symbolic: it arrived on the 25th anniversary of her debut album Whoa, Nelly!—the project that launched her into global stardom with unforgettable hits like I’m Like a Bird and Turn Off the Light.
Since then, Furtado has sold over 45 million records worldwide, delivered era-defining smashes including Promiscuous and Maneater. She won a Grammy Award for her collaboration Give It to Me with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. Released seven studio albums, including last year’s 7, her first in seven years
Her ability to constantly reinvent her sound—from folk-pop to R&B to EDM—solidified her as one of Canada’s most versatile music exports.
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Nelly Furtado also credited her 22-year-old daughter Nevis with helping her adapt to digital-first music culture. The pair now collaborate creatively, a partnership that Furtado says drives her passion today.
While the stage lights may dim for now, she assured fans this isn’t goodbye—just a new chapter. “I have endless gratitude to anyone who has ever listened and vibrated with my music.”
Though Nelly Furtado has chosen to step back from performing, audiences around the world continue to discover—and rediscover—her music. The hope remains that when the time is right, her unmistakable voice will once again take flight.
