Nelly Furtado has used an "optical illusion" outfit to hit back at body shaming trolls

She has now blasted back as she headlined Manchester Pride on Sunday (25.08.25) by appearing on stage in a T-shirt printed with a cartoon silhouette and the words "Whoa Nelly".

Her optical illusion top featuring a cropped vest, mini-skirt and belt spelling out her name.

The back of the shirt showed the rear view of the cartoon character, complete with a tattoo reading "Better Than Ever" - the title of her 2024 single - while Nelly's boots were decorated with the same phrase.

In February, the performer addressed public focus on her body in a lengthy Instagram post.

She said: "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."

Nelly also disclosed she had taken legal action against individuals using her name to sell health and beauty products.

She added: "I had to take legal action against some charlatans online who were selling services based on selling health and beauty myths about me."

Clarifying her stance on cosmetic surgery, Nelly said: "I've never had any face or body surgeries or augmentation, besides for veneers on the top row of my teeth, quite recently.

"I have not used face or lip injections or fillers."

The Grammy award winner described how she maintains her appearance, crediting a longstanding beauty routine.

She said: "My youthful glow comes from 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 make-up 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."

She added: "Makeup can do magical things! So can great eyebrows! So can a great hairstylist! So can great underthings!"

Nelly ended her message with a reflection on self-acceptance.

She said: "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."

Nelly, who first rose to fame in 1996, is one of Canada's most successful singers with more than 45 million records sold worldwide.

She is a mother of three - her daughter Nevis, 21, with ex-boyfriend Jasper Gahunia, and two younger children with rapper Gerard Damien Long, known as Jerry.