Nelly Furtado certainly knows how to "say it right!" The Canadian singer has proudly spoken about her body and the way it's changed in recent years, becoming a fierce advocate for body positivity. And over the weekend, she pointedly clapped back at those who've come for her weight and body on the internet, comparing it to her physique from the start of her career in the early 2000s, with a cheeky yet totally stylish look for her headlining set at Manchester Pride.
The pop star, 46, took to the stage on Sunday in a printed oversized T-shirt dress bearing the animation of a stereotypical thin woman's body, with a white tank, the bra peeking out, denim short-shorts, a chunky gold belt and a tan physique. Nelly completed her look with a mesh bodysuit and tights underneath, fingerless gloves, her hair in one long braid, and printed graphic boots that read "Better Than Ever."
© Getty ImagesEarlier this year, the "Promiscuous" singer took to her Instagram page with photos of herself in a bikini and shared her mantra for body positivity in 2025. "HAVE A BODY NEUTRAL 2025, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, LOVE WITH EVERY INCH OF YOUR HEART! THANKS FOR ALL THE MEMORIES THIS YEAR," she wrote alongside it.
"This year I became aware of the aesthetic pressure of my work in a brand new way, while simultaneously I experienced new levels of self -love and genuine confidence from within," Nelly continued. "I had to pursue some legal action against a few charlatans online selling services based on selling health and beauty myths about me."
© Getty ImagesThe singer headlined Manchester Pride on Sunday
Nelly at Manchester Pride
Shutting down cosmetic surgery claims, she defiantly stated: "For whoever cares, I have never had any face or body surgeries or augmentation, besides for veneers on the top row of my teeth, quite recently. So far, I have not had any face or lip injections or fillers of any kind, but I do have a loving, old school facialist who I purchase serums and creams from and I started that when I was 20. The day before photo shoots and red carpets, I drink a lot of water and sleep on my back."
© Getty ImagesHer outfit played on body images
Body positivity
"Sometimes on the red carpet or at photo shoots my makeup artist uses face tape to give my eyes, skin and makeup more lift. Sometimes my stylist uses body tape to give a certain look to different silhouettes. Body makeup can also sometimes be contoured to achieve a certain look.
Makeup can do magical things! So can great eyebrows! So can a great hairstylist! So can great underthings!"
© InstagramNelly Furtado posing in a bikini
Feeling good!
She concluded with: "My New Year's message for 2025, is express yourself freely, celebrate your individuality and know that it's perfectly OK to be OK with what you see in the mirror, and it's also OK to want something different. We are all cute little humans just bouncing around the earth looking for hugs. PS – this post is not intended to hate on anyone, I am just joining the storytelling community and this story is MINE."
© Getty ImagesOn Stage
She later took to social media with some outtakes from her appearance at Manchester Pride and captioned it: "Shout out to my DAY 1's! Thankyou, Nelstars. It's been almost 25 years since I released 'Whoa, Nelly' and the message still feels as pure as ever. Happy Pride, Manchester!" October 24 will mark exactly 25 years to the 2000 release of her debut studio album.
© Getty ImagesNelly performing on stage in 2000, the start of her career
Looking back
The record proved to be a sleeper hit on the charts, eventually selling over six million copies worldwide by 2006. While it was a slow burn commercial success, it proved to be an immediate critical darling. Its two lead-off singles, "I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the Light," were global hits. The album earned Nelly four Grammy nominations, with "I'm Like a Bird" taking home Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
