- Grammy-winning artist Nelly Furtado has announced she is stepping away from performing “for the foreseeable future.”
- The singer cited a desire to pursue other creative and personal endeavors better suited to the next phase of her life.
- Her announcement coincides with the 25th anniversary of her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and follows a recent career resurgence thanks to a new generation of fans.
- While she is pausing performing, Furtado confirmed she will “identify as a songwriter forever,” continuing her work behind the scenes.
A Sudden Step Back from the Spotlight
In a surprising move that has left fans reeling, Grammy-winning pop icon Nelly Furtado announced she is taking a “step away” from performing. The “Maneater” singer, 46, shared the news in a heartfelt social media statement on Friday, declaring she is putting her stage career on hold “for the foreseeable future.”
Furtado explained that she plans to “pursue some other creative and personal endeavours that I feel would better suit this next phase of my life.” The announcement was made through a nostalgic two-part post, featuring a photo of her 20-year-old self at her very first professional show at Lilith Fair, contrasted with a recent video of a massive crowd in Berlin chanting her name.
Reflecting on a 25-Year Legacy
The timing of the announcement is significant, as Furtado is celebrating the 25th anniversary of her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!. “It was so meaningful and my artist self felt so actualized,” she wrote, recalling that first performance. A quarter-century later, she expressed immense joy at her music’s revival among younger listeners.
“25 years later, my music has reached a whole new generation of fans and I couldn’t be happier about that,” she stated. Furtado admitted her original wish was that a kid might one day find the Whoa, Nelly! vinyl in a record shop and think it was cool. “So I never could have guessed that there would be so many new ways to discover ‘old’ music in 2025!”
Gratitude for a New Generation
Furtado credited platforms like TikTok and the passion of “Gen Z” for helping her reconnect with her legacy. In a September 2024 interview with PEOPLE, she described how seeing young fans sing all the words to her songs “blew my brain.” This resurgence, she said, was “surreal and joyful” and “made me really believe in magic.”
Her recent album, 7, released in September 2024 after a seven-year break, was a collaboration with her 22-year-old daughter, Nevis Gahunia—an experience Furtado called “the greatest gift in the world.”
What’s Next for the Pop Star?
While she is stepping away from the stage, Furtado assured fans her relationship with music is not over. “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,” she affirmed.
She concluded her message with profound thanks to everyone who has supported her journey and a special wish for the “new generation of artists” to have many years of passionate performance.