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Nelly Furtado attends the inaugural "Monte-Carlo Gala for the Global Ocean" honoring Leonardo DiCaprio at the Monaco Garnier Opera on September 28, 2017 in Monaco, Monaco© Getty Images

Nelly Furtado resurfaces to reveal recent health diagnosis and comeback

The "Give It to Me" singer has since become a TikTok sensation

Ahad Sanwari
Ahad Sanwari - New York
Senior WriterNew York
May 23, 2023
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Nelly Furtado was the name atop all the charts in the early-to-mid aughts, and she's back to reclaim her crown, opening up in her first full-length interview in years about a comeback.

The Canadian singer, 44, stunned in her first photoshoot in six years for Fault Magazine, discussing life as a TikTok sensation, recording new music, and personal struggles.

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Chief among them, she revealed, was a recent diagnosis of ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), a neurodevelopmental condition which affects the individual's ability to retain attention and controlling impulsive behaviors.

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"I just got diagnosed with ADHD in the last 18 months of my life," Nelly shared. "I believe I've had it my whole life, but playing instruments six days a week as a kid kept me in check. 

Nelly Furtado circa 2002© Getty Images
Nelly opened up about her diagnosis with ADHD

"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." 

She continued: "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."

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When asked whether it felt harder learning of the condition in her 40s as opposed to her childhood, when most are usually diagnosed, she looked at it positively.

Nelly Furtado performs onstage at the World Music Theater, Tinley Park, Illinois in 2001© Getty Images
Nelly first broke into the scene in 2000

"I do have the inattentive type of ADHD, not the hyperactive kind," she explained, calling it a "blessing" that she hadn't been diagnosed earlier in her life.

"Because I think I'm mature enough now to not be overly dramatic about it and just deal with it and find solutions rather than dwell on the emotional side of it."

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The pop superstar also announced that she was ready to make her big return to music, with her last release being 2018's "Sticks and Stones" and her last album being 2017's The Ride.

Nelly Furtado during 2006 MTV European Music Awards Copenhagen© Getty Images
The Canadian singer had a string of number one hits in the 2000s

She discussed an upcoming collaboration with Australian house producer Dom Dolla, saying: "Dom really taught me to go back to that truth of just feeling good and finding the soul in the music."

The Portuguese singer also gushed about the EDM world and how they weren't concerned about creating a "pop smash" and more with making music that people could enjoy and dance to.

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The "Say It Right" hitmaker revealed: "I have so much music. I've recorded a hundred songs in the last 18 months, and I'm so excited to bring people new music."

Nelly Furtado and Timbaland during Nelly Furtado and Timbaland Perform on the NBC's "The Today Show"© Getty Images
Nelly and Timbaland's collab "Give It To Me" has become a TikTok sensation

Nelly also talked about the resurgence of her past hits such as 2007's "Give It To Me" on TikTok, and she was all for embracing it.

"I found out why the DJs were playing these old songs and discovered that people want to celebrate and have fun to my music," she said. 

Nelly Furtado performs on stage at the Beyond the Valley Festival on Friday the 31st of December 2022, in Barunah Plains, Australia© Getty Images
Nelly last took to the stage at the Beyond the Valley Festival in December, 2022

"When I started in this business, people would say, 'Oh, maybe I'm a one-hit wonder,' but 20 years have gone by and people still like my music."

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