Grammy-winning artist Nelly Furtado has revealed she will cease live performances indefinitely, a decision that follows a barrage of online abuse targeting her physical appearance.
The 45-year-old Canadian singer disclosed her retirement from the stage through an Instagram post on Friday, coinciding with the quarter-century milestone of her breakthrough album Whoa, Nelly!
The announcement arrives mere weeks after the Promiscuous performer faced body-shaming remarks whilst performing at Manchester Pride, where she had defiantly celebrated her natural physique.
Sources indicate the artist has endured mounting criticism about her appearance, with recent online commentary becoming increasingly harsh despite her previous attempts to address such negativity with humour and confidence.
Nelly Furtado is quitting the music industry
|
Her Friday statement adopted a notably more sombre tone than her earlier responses to the trolling.
The singer has recently confronted extensive online discourse about her figure, particularly following her February bikini photograph where she advocated for “body neutrality” whilst revealing she has never undergone cosmetic surgery or used facial fillers.
In that post, she disclosed industry secrets including the use of face tape and body contouring makeup for red carpet appearances, emphasising her commitment to natural beauty aside from dental veneers.
The Manchester Pride performance criticism represented just one instance in a pattern of appearance-focused commentary that has intensified throughout 2024.
Despite initially maintaining a positive stance and encouraging self-love amongst her followers, the cumulative effect of the body-shaming appears to have influenced her decision to withdraw from public performances.
In her Instagram message, Furtado stated she would be pursuing “other creative and personal endeavours that I feel would better suit this next phase of my life.”
She emphasised her enduring passion for songwriting, declaring: “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. I’ll identify as a songwriter forever.”
The post featured imagery from her career spanning 25 years, including a photograph from her inaugural Lilith Fair performance aged 20 and footage from her Berlin concert this summer.
She expressed astonishment at her music’s resurgence amongst younger audiences, noting she “never could have guessed that there would be so many new ways to discover ‘old’ music in 2025.”
Supporters responded with an outpouring of affection following her retirement announcement, with celebrity blogger Perez Hilton reminiscing about purchasing her debut album at Virgin Megastore in Times Square and attending her early performances.
One devoted follower wrote about following her music from age 13 to 37, expressing both sadness and gratitude for her artistic contributions.
Another fan lamented feeling they had “just got you back recently after years away, and you’re leaving again.”
Nelly Furtado in 2001
|
GETTY
Another shared: “And an icon and international superstar was born. Not to ‘fly away’ but to soar and stay.
“Your music makes the world a better place. A more joyful place. Love you Nelly.
“On top of it all, you have a heart of gold and manage to stay humble and true despite your international superstardom. You are a unicorn and we love you!” (sic)
Nelly Furtado’s career achievements include securing three Juno Awards in 2001 for best songwriter, solo artist and single, followed by a 2002 Grammy for best female pop vocal performance for I’m Like a Bird
|
GETTY
Ms Furtado’s career achievements include securing three Juno Awards in 2001 for best songwriter, solo artist and single, followed by a 2002 Grammy for best female pop vocal performance for I’m Like a Bird.
She concluded her statement by extending wishes for “many years of fruitful and passionate performance” to emerging artists.