Marrakech – In a heartfelt announcement marking the 25th anniversary of her debut album Whoa, Nelly!, singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado revealed that she is stepping away from live performances “for the foreseeable future.”

Sharing a reflective post on Instagram, the Grammy-winning artist wrote, “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.” 

“I went down to a store called ‘Original’ on Queen West in Toronto and shopped for that pink dress and some sparkly platform shoes to perform in. It was so meaningful and my artist self felt so actualized.”

Furtado went on to express her joy at seeing her music reach a new generation. 

“Twenty-five years later, my music has reached a whole new generation of fans and I couldn’t be happier about that,” she wrote. “To have so many people rediscovering my music has been surreal and joyful. It’s made me really believe in magic.”

However, amid the celebration, the artist announced a major shift in her career path. 

“All this aside, I have decided to step away from performance for the foreseeable future and pursue some other creative and personal endeavours that I feel would better suit this next phase of my life,” she explained. 

“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.”

The “Say It Right” and “I’m Like a Bird” hitmaker also expressed her gratitude to fans and collaborators, stating, “Endless gratitude to anyone who has ever listened and vibrated with my music and attended any of my shows. I love you and your open hearts. I deeply thank all of those who have worked so hard to help me make my pop dreams come true.”

Furtado closed her message with words of encouragement for emerging artists: “I also wish, to the new generation of artists, many years of fruitful and passionate performance.”

The singer included a second slide from Berlin this summer, captioned: “Finally understanding what receiving flowers means,” a symbolic reflection on appreciation, growth, and the power of music that continues to bloom decades later.