Nelly Furtado lit up the Boardmasters Festival in Cornwall on Saturday with a performance as fearless as her wardrobe. The Grammy-winning singer, 46, stepped onstage in a ruffled hot-pant and green halter-top ensemble by Laruicci, the look punctuated by intricately beaded knee-high boots. She draped an olive-green faux fur shrug from Hesta over her shoulders, layering texture onto the bold silhouette.
Her accessories—sculptural pieces from Vitaly and Alexis Bittar—caught the stage lights with every move, while shield-style Ray-Ban sunglasses lent her a razor-sharp, cinematic edge. Even before singing a note, she commanded attention. Between songs, she leaned into the crowd, exchanging smiles and quick words with fans.
Later, she shared those moments on Instagram Stories, including one repost from an attendee declaring, “They say don’t meet your heroes but @nellyfurtado is the loveliest queen.”
The set came months after Furtado publicly addressed long-running speculation about her appearance. In January, she posted a photo wearing an orange bikini, stating that she had never undergone plastic surgery or cosmetic injections, except for new veneers.
“This year I became aware of the aesthetic pressure of my work in a brand new way,” she wrote. “At the same time, I experienced new levels of self-love and confidence from within.”
Her message emphasized body neutrality and authenticity. “Express yourself freely, celebrate your uniqueness, and know that it’s perfectly OK to be OK with what you see in the mirror,” she urged. “It’s also OK to want something different.”
Furtado has long spoken about the challenges of representation in the pop music industry. She’s recalled early-2000s magazines digitally lightening her skin and narrowing her hips without her consent.
“I have olive skin, and they’d lighten it a lot,” she told People last year. “They would take my hips down all the time.”
After a years-long break from the spotlight to raise her three children, she returned in 2024 with renewed creative freedom. “I have a clear sense of detachment and boundaries now,” she told NPR. “Conflict can make magic.”
At Boardmasters, that blend of confidence, resilience, and playful experimentation was on full display—reminding the crowd why Furtado remains one of pop’s most enduring voices.
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