Nelly Furtado quits music after body-shaming attacks: “I’m still a songwriter forever”

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GRAMMY Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado has announced she is stepping away from performing “for the foreseeable future”, citing a wave of body-shaming attacks as a painful factor in her decision.

Furtado made the revelation in an emotional Instagram post commemorating the 25th anniversary of her debut album ‘Whoa, Nelly!’. In that same message, she expressed gratitude for her longstanding fans, reflected on the joy of reaching newer generations, and explained that whilst she’s retiring from live shows, she will “identify as a songwriter forever”.

She emphasised that although performing onstage has brought her joy (most recently at a Summer show in Berlin), the negative scrutiny over her appearance has taken a toll. In solidarity with her body-positive stance, she once performed at Manchester Pride wearing an oversized T-shirt adorned with a cartoon hourglass figure and the slogan “Better than ever”—a pointed rebuke of public commentary about her physique.

She also looked back on her career with appreciation—to her collaborators, her touring years, and the unpredictable ways her music has been rediscovered over time. Furtado emphasised that her pivot to a new chapter doesn’t erase her creative identity, saying she still loves writing music and wants to explore “other creative and personal endeavours” more suited to this next phase of life.

Fans responded with an outpouring of support, many lamenting the decision and celebrating her legacy in pop music. As one commented, “Forever an icon.”

Whilst the announcement feels like a pause rather than a full stop, it underscores the pressure countless artists face when their art becomes conflated with personal image. For now, Nelly Furtado’s bold vulnerability stands as part of her lasting imprint—both as a musician and as a voice pushing back at the cruelty of appearance-based criticism.