After 25 years she is saying goodbye to the stage. Why she stopped touring – and what role body shaming plays.
Nelly Furtado has announced her departure from the stage. The 46-year-old, who rose to fame around the turn of the millennium, said in an emotional Instagram post that she would no longer be giving any concerts for the time being.
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Away from touring, but not saying goodbye to making music
On her Instagram channel, the Portuguese-Canadian pop singer wrote that she has decided to step away from touring for the foreseeable future and “dedicate herself to other creative and personal projects that I feel are more suitable for this next phase of my life.” But she still sees herself as a musician.
Back to the year 2000
In the Oct. 25 post, Furtado also recalled the release of her debut album WHOA, NELLY! 25 years ago. She also published a photo that shows her before her first appearance as a professional musician at the Lilith Fair. “I went into a store called Original on Queen West in Toronto and bought this pink dress and a pair of sparkly platform shoes for my performance. That was a significant moment in which I felt truly fulfilled as an artist,” she recalls of her beginnings. “25 years later, my music has reached a whole new generation of fans and I couldn’t be happier about it.”
She added: “I remember in 2000 having the hope that someday a kid in a record store would pick up WHOA, NELLY!’s vinyl off the shelf and find it cool or inspiring. I never imagined that in 2025 there would be so many new ways to discover ‘old’ music!”
“It really made me believe in magic.”
The fact that so many people are rediscovering her music is surreal and makes her happy. “I really enjoyed taking this opportunity to get back on stage and experience up close the true, lasting power of good music. It really made me believe in magic.”
Here is the entire Instagram posting:
“I will always see myself as a songwriter”
Despite her departure from live concerts, Furtado emphasized that she has “very much enjoyed her career and still loves writing music, as I always saw it as a hobby that I was lucky enough to turn into my profession. I will always see myself as a songwriter.” She thanked her fans and supporters “for all the years of fun, community and wonder.”
Furtado’s withdrawal from the live business comes as a surprise to many fans. Just last year, the musician released her seventh studio album 7 and toured the world with it. In interviews, she spoke about how much she enjoyed making music again after years of hiatus and retreating from the spotlight.
Is body shaming the reason?
Meanwhile, there was speculation in the media that Furtado’s withdrawal could be related to the body shaming she was subjected to during her recent performances. On social networks, people commented on the artist’s appearance with demeaning words.
In recent months, Furtado has repeatedly defended herself against body shaming and spoken out in favor of a natural, self-confident body. In a post earlier this year, she shared photos of herself without filters – in her words, an “ode to self-love.”
In doing so, she left no room for hatred and body shamers. “This year I became aware of the aesthetic pressures of my work in a whole new way, while also experiencing a new level of self-love and true confidence from within,” the 46-year-old said in a statement.