The “Maneater” singer, 46, shared on social media Friday, October 24, that she will be putting live performances on hold “for the foreseeable future” to focus on “other creative and personal endeavors” that feel right for this next phase of her life. Sources suggest she may also be taking a break following recent criticisms about her appearance, though she has not explicitly commented on that.
In her post, Furtado shared a heartfelt two-photo carousel. The first showed her at 20 years old, just before performing at her first professional show at Lilith Fair. The second was a video from her Berlin performance this past summer, where the crowd chanted her name and showered her with flowers—a moment she said finally made her understand the joy of receiving them.
Reflecting on her early days, Furtado remembered buying a pink dress from Original on Queen West in Toronto and pairing it with sparkly platform shoes for the big night. “It was so meaningful and my artist self felt so actualized,” she wrote.
Celebrating 25 years since her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, Furtado said, “25 years later, my music has reached a whole new generation of fans and I couldn’t be happier about that.” She recalled her early wish for her music: “Hoping some kid would dust off the Whoa, Nelly! vinyl one day in a record shop and think it was cool or inspiring.”
“Seeing so many people rediscover my music now is surreal and joyful,” she added. “It’s made me really believe in magic.”
Furtado reflected on her career and love for songwriting: “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 thanked her fans, her team, and even the next generation of artists, wishing them “many years of fruitful and passionate performance.”
In a September 2024 interview with PEOPLE, Furtado praised younger fans, noting how blown away she was when Gen Z audiences sang all the words to her songs during an Australian festival. “This is real. This is not just a fun app. This is my music reconnecting. This is a big deal,” she said.
Furtado’s most recent album, 7, released in September 2024, was a special project she recorded with her 22-year-old daughter, Nevis Gahunia. “I’d been given this opportunity to connect with my teenager in this way. It just felt like the greatest gift in the world,” she said. “What a blessing.”
While fans will miss seeing her perform live, it’s clear Furtado is focusing on creativity, family, and the next chapter of her life—whatever that may hold.