Nelly Furtado Takes a Pause to Find Her Next Melody

After 25 years of dazzling crowds with her unique sound and free-spirited energy, Nelly Furtado is pressing pause. The Grammy-winning artist, known for hits like “Maneater” and “Say It Right,” announced she’s taking a break from performing “for the foreseeable future” to explore “other creative and personal endeavours.”

In a heartfelt post shared on Friday, Oct. 24, the singer reflected on her journey from a young artist chasing a dream to a global music icon still inspiring new generations.

Furtado’s announcement came with a nostalgic two-photo carousel. The first image showed her at 20, about to take the stage for her “first show as a professional artist at Lilith Fair.” She remembered the moment vividly—buying a pink dress from a shop called Original on Queen West in Toronto, and sparkly platform shoes to complete the look.

“It was so meaningful and my artist self felt so actualized,” she wrote.

The next slide jumped forward 25 years to a video of Furtado performing in Berlin this past summer. As the crowd chanted her name and showered her with flowers, she said she was “finally understanding what receiving flowers means.”

Looking back, Furtado marveled at how her music has found new life. “25 years later, my music has reached a whole new generation of fans and I couldn’t be happier about that,” she said while celebrating the anniversary of her debut album Whoa, Nelly!

When the album first dropped, Furtado admitted her biggest dream was simple: “Hoping some kid would dust off the Whoa, Nelly! vinyl one day in a record shop and think it was cool or inspiring.”

Now, in 2025, with streaming platforms and viral rediscoveries of older songs, that dream has come true in ways she never imagined. “So I never could have guessed that there would be so many new ways to discover ‘old’ music in 2025!” she said, calling the experience of fans rediscovering her songs “surreal and joyful.”

Though she’s stepping away from the stage, Furtado made it clear her passion for music hasn’t faded. “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 shared.

She also expressed her deep gratitude to everyone who has joined her musical journey—“anyone who has ever listened and vibrated with my music and attended any of my shows” and “those who have worked so hard to help me make my pop dreams come true.”

And to young artists following in her footsteps, she offered a wish: “many years of fruitful and passionate performance.”

Furtado’s most recent album, 7, released in September 2024, marked her first in seven years—and it was a family project. She recorded it with her daughter, Nevis Gahunia, 22, blending generations of creativity in one studio.

As she steps into this new phase, Nelly Furtado leaves fans with a sense of nostalgia, gratitude, and the promise that her song isn’t over—it’s just taking a new verse.