Nelly Furtado announced that she will step away from the stage "for the foreseeable future" to focus on other creative and personal areas of her life.

The singer made her decision public with an emotional message on her social networks about the 25th anniversary of the release of her debut album Whoa, Nelly!.

"Today marks 25 years since my first album Whoa, Nelly was released (…) 25 years later, my music has reached a new generation of fans and I couldn't be happier about that,” the artist wrote in his post.

After reflecting on the beginning of her career, Furtado announced that she will be taking some time to focus on other creative areas such as songwriting.

“I have decided to step away from acting for now and dedicate myself to other creative and personal activities that I consider more appropriate for this new stage of my life. I have thoroughly enjoyed my career and I continue to love composing music, as I have always considered it a hobby that I was lucky enough to turn into my profession. I will always identify as a composer,” she assured.

Furtado, 46, revealed that this pause in her artistic career comes after suffering criticism and attacks about her appearance following her return to the stage.

In her message, the singer expressed gratitude to her fans, collaborators and those who have danced to her music throughout her 25-year career.

“My infinite gratitude to everyone who has listened to and experienced my music and attended any of my concerts. I love you all very much and appreciate your generosity. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to help me make my pop dreams come true, both creatively and organizationally,” she expressed.

Nelly Furtado returned to the stage in May 2024 with a festival tour titled Better Than Ever, which culminated this summer.

This tour coincided with the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the release of her debut album Whoa, Nelly! (2000), the work that catapulted her to international fame.