Debuting in 2000 with Whoa, Nelly!, Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado became known for expertly blending genres like pop, trip-hop, and R&B into insanely catchy tunes like “Turn Off the Light” and “I’m Like a Bird.” Spending 28 weeks on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, Whoa, Nelly! landed its namesake a Best New Artist nod and a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Following a disappointing showing with her sophomore record Folklore, Furtado returned with a whole new sound on 2006’s Loose. Now, after selling more than 45 million records worldwide and establishing herself as one of Canada’s most successful artists, the “Say It Right” singer, 46, has decided to hang it up… for now.
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Nelly Furtado: “I’ll Identify as a Songwriter Forever”
On Friday, Oct. 24, Nelly Furtado announced in a social media post that she is stepping away from performance “for the foreseeable future.” However, she assured fans that this doesn’t signal the end of her creative pursuits.
“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,” Furtado wrote on Instagram. “I’ll identify as a songwriter forever. I’m grateful for all the years of fun, community and wonder.”
The announcement came on the 25th anniversary of Furtado’s Grammy-nominated freshman record Whoa, Nelly! She shared a photo of herself at 20 years old, sporting a pink dress as she gears up to perform at Lilith Fair—her first professional gig.
“25 years later., my music has reached a whole new generation of fans and I couldn’t be happier about that,” wrote the “Promiscuous” hitmaker. She continued, “To have so many people rediscovering my music has been surreal and joyful . It’s been so fun embracing this opportunity , getting out on stages again and seeing up close , the true lasting power of good music . It’s made me really believe in magic.”
Nelly Furtado has released seven albums, with the most recent, 7, coming just last year. It marked her first new project since 2017’s The Ride.
Featured image by Hugh R Hastings/Getty Images
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