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Grammy winner Nelly Furtado quits performing for ‘foreseeable future’ following body-shaming criticism
By Stephanie Giang-Paunon
Published October 25, 2025
Nelly Furtado is pressing pause on her musical performance career.
The Grammy-winning singer revealed on social media she’s stepping away from the concert stage amid a wave of online body-shaming.
"I have decided to step away from performance for the foreseeable future and pursue some other creative and personal endeavors that I feel would better suit this next phase of my life," Furtado wrote in an Instagram post marking the 25th anniversary of her debut album, "Whoa, Nelly!"
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Nelly Furtado steps away from performing amid online body-shaming. (Joseph Okpako/WireImage/Getty Images)
"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 added.
The Canadian-born artist, best known for early 2000s hits including "I’m Like a Bird" and "Promiscuous," reflected on her career journey in a nostalgic post celebrating the milestone.
"Twenty-five years ago today, my first album, ‘Whoa, Nelly!’ was released. In the first slide, I am 20 years old, about to play my first show as a professional artist at Lilith Fair," she recalled. "I went down to a store called ‘Original’ on Queen West in Toronto and bought that pink dress and some sparkly platform shoes to perform in. It was so meaningful, and my artist self felt so actualized.
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"Twenty-five years later, my music has reached a whole new generation of fans, and I couldn’t be happier about that."
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The singer expressed gratitude for the resurgence of her music, which has found new life through streaming platforms and social media.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Furtado's reps for comment.
Furtado’s announcement comes just months after she addressed online critics following her bold fashion choices at Manchester Pride. At the time, the "Say It Right" singer hit back at trolls and celebrated her confidence, sending a message of self-acceptance to fans.
Grammy-winning artist takes indefinite break from performing amid body image backlash. (Shirlaine Forrest)
This past summer, Furtado wore an oversize white T-shirt featuring a cartoon image of a woman in a crop top and mini skirt while headlining the Manchester Pride festival.
She appeared to wear the shirt as a subtle response to body-shamers and had previously discussed pursuing legal action against online "charlatans."
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Nelly Furtado performs during Manchester Pride 2025 Aug. 24, 2025, in Manchester, England. (Shirlaine Forrest)
Earlier this year, Furtado shared a glowing selfie in an orange bikini and revealed that "body neutrality" was part of her 2025 wellness mindset.
"This year I became aware of the aesthetic pressure of my work in a brand-new way, while at the same time, I experienced new levels of self-love and genuine confidence from within," she captioned the post.
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Nelly posted photos of herself in an orange bikini. (Nelly Furtado Instagram)
Furtado also revealed that she recently took a stand against online scammers who were profiting off her name.
"I had to pursue legal action against a few charlatans online selling services based on health and beauty myths about me," she wrote. "For whoever cares, I have never had any face or body surgeries or augmentation, except for veneers on the top row of my teeth, quite recently."
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The pop singer clarified that she has avoided cosmetic procedures altogether.
Furtado added that she has never had any "face or lip injections or fillers of any kind," instead crediting her natural glow to simple skincare habits.
"I rely on my old-school facialist, from whom I purchase serums and creams — and I started that when I was 20," she explained.
Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/grammy-winner-nelly-furtado-quits-performing-foreseeable-future-body-shaming-criticism