Nelly Furtado's new life as body positivity champion and ADHD advocate

Daily Mail​

a day ago

Earlier this year, Nelly Furtado spoke out about her looks - professing her 'self-love and genuine confidence' after dramatic changes to her body and overall image.
The popstar, 46, who shot to fame in 1996, has been lauded of late for her 'gorgeous curves' and 'refreshing attitude' after she shared an Instagram post about choosing the natural route for her body and her looks
Posing in a bikini in January, the singer showed off her fuller figure - thus earning her status as a body confident personality following her return to the spotlight after a six year hiatus in which she focused on motherhood.
Nelly is a mother-of-three and had her youngest children in her 40s, while also working alongside her older daughter.
The singer has been open about discussing the delicate balance between her busy career and motherhood.
As well as her advocacy for body image, Nelly became an advocate for ADHD sufferers when she revealed her diagnosis in 2023 in her first magazine shoot in six years - winning her even more praise from fans.
BODY IMAGE
Nelly has received widespread praise for her attitude towards body confidence, having said: 'It's perfectly OK to be OK with what you see in the mirror'.
Having posed in a bikini in January, she also shared an encouraging post which empowered her fans.
In her post earlier this year, Nelly wrote: 'HAVE A BODY NEUTRAL 2025, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, LOVE WITH EVERY INCH OF YOUR HEART THANKS FOR ALL THE MEMORIES THIS YEAR...
'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...
'I had to pursue some legal action against a few charlatans online selling services based on selling health and beauty myths about me .
'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...
'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!
'These photos I have no makeup and there is no editing or filters on these photos but I do have a spray tan ! I have spider veins and they remind me of my mom and aunties and life so I think that's why I haven't parted with them so far...
'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'.
Confident girl: The singer's fans were impressed with her positive message
Nelly continued: 'PS- this post is not intended to hate on anyone, I am just joining the storytelling community and this story is MINE'.
Fans flooded social media with praise for the stunner, with users writing: 'This was the content I needed in this current Ozempic era... So so beautiful. Inside and out...'
Another said: 'Stunning. Stunning. Stunning... Hermosa Nelly! That Portuguese heritage big hips, big legs, representing all of us women with Venus goddess bodies sculpted by God keep shining girl...'
A third added: 'She looks AMAZING with her curves this is what REAL everyday women look like and should be normal to see anywhere...
Far from shying away from fashion now she is in her 40s, Nelly professed her joy at having a 'glow-up' in recent years.
She told Vogue: 'I'm having more fun [with my style] now! It's weird. I always knew that I would have a glow-up in my 40s, and I did!...
'Now that I'm 40, I've realized one thing about myself: When you have the right pieces in your closet, you can actually dress spontaneously and plan what your outfit is...
'I love fashion. I grew up in a fashion family of tailors and seamstresses, so we grew up wearing our Sunday best. Portuguese culture is very much about festival culture—you have to dress up for Festa and turn it out...
'[Even today], if my mom doesn't like something I wore, I'll hear about it.'
MOTHERHOOD
Nelly has a daughter Nevis, who turns 22 next month, with her ex Jasper Gahunia. After the pair split she went on to marry sound engineer Demacio Castellon in July 2008 before separating from him in 2016. She has a daughter, seven, and son, six, with rapper Jerry.
In 2006, when Nevis was two, Nelly spoke about how life as a single mother made her take work more seriously and have a greater focus.
She said: 'It really made me take my job way more seriously, it made me think about my work ethic, it made me think more about providing for Nevis and her future.'
On co-parenting, she said: '[Nevis' father and I] were together for four years and friends for five or six years before that. We're fully active co-parents and really close friends, so things are irie.' [Irie is a Jamaican noun for 'the ultimate positive'].
Nelly does hope for more kids though, she said: 'Maybe in the next five years I'll get married, have more kids. One grandmother had eight kids, the other had 10. If I have that many kids, then I would need a husband.'
In 2023, she discussed her desire to be an idol to other mums after her return to music, saying: ''I want to inspire other moms and women out there that, even in their 40s, you can re-embrace your talents and go for it'.
After returning to the spotlight after a hiatus, she said: 'I am a mother, and it is part of my identity, but I'm also the mother of my creativity and art...
'That also needs to be nurtured. Being an artist is my purpose. So I had to learn to let go of that guilt, which is very difficult as a mom. But you need to live the change that you would like.'
ADHD DIAGNOSIS
In 2023, Nelly publicly revealed she had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 18 months previously.
Offering an insight into her diagnosis, Nelly said she had been diagnosed as an adult and hasn't been 'overly dramatic about it,' instead focusing on 'finding solutions' to manage the condition.
She later said: 'So now I've been using choreography and getting in the dance studio as a natural way of dealing with my ADHD. I find the discipline really helps my brain...
'The good news is I'm getting to know my brain really well. I love talking about it, so I'm hoping to share my experience with people and have conversations about it.'
ADHD is a mental disorder that affects behavior. People with the condition feel restless, may have trouble concentrating and can act impulsively.
Most cases are diagnosed in children between three and seven years old, but sometimes it is diagnosed later in childhood - or even adulthood.
People with ADHD may also have additional problems such as sleep and anxiety disorders.