Nelly Furtado opens up about recent ADHD diagnosis amid music industry comeback: 'My ADHD feels like a superpower'

The 45-year-old mother-of-three says having attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is an asset when promoting music.

Nelly Furtado reveals recent ADHD diagnosis via interview with Euphoria Magazine (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Nelly Furtado reveals recent ADHD diagnosis via interview with Euphoria Magazine (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Nelly Furtado is opening up about using her attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis to her advantage in a new interview with Euphoria magazine.

After releasing her album "The Ride" in 2017, the mom-of-three took a break from the spotlight and the music industry to focus on her wellbeing. "I'm in a better head space than ever," the 45-year-old told the outlet about preparing for her return to the music scene.

"I'm a mom, too, and so, as fun as it is being a mom, it can also be stressful," she admitted. "The moment you get to the studio, sometimes my kids come with me and it's just so beautiful when you can be making music. Immediately, I feel more calm. I feel more myself."

Furtado said she's created 200 songs for this record and is in the process of whittling them down for her next record.

"I realize that my brain makes so much more sense in the studio. I was officially diagnosed with ADHD a couple of years ago and in the studio, my ADHD feels like a superpower," she said.

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health condition characterized by having trouble maintaining attention, hyperactivity, and impulse control issues. Although symptoms of ADHD begin in childhood and extend into adult life, it's possible for ADHD to go unnoticed or undiagnosed until adulthood, particularly because the symptoms can manifest differently in adults compared to children.

Symptoms of ADHD can include impulsiveness, poor time management, difficulty multitasking or completing tasks, frequent mood swings, restlessness, poor planning skills or trouble prioritizing. According to the Cleveland Clinic, evidence suggests ADHD goes undiagnosed in women, potentially due to health care bias, women's abilities to hide or suppress symptoms and gender stereotypes.

Furtado said the evolution of the music industry allows her to use her recent diagnosis to her advantage.

"The way we promoted records, the way we marketed them, it's almost like the way we market music now is much more suitable to my personality because it's way more about just instant moments, you know? Because I have ADHD, it's like, 'OK, great. That's over. What's next?' It's perfect for me," Furtado explained.

Following the interview's publication, Euphoria magazine's official Instagram account featured Furtado's cover photo for the magazine as well as three additional snaps from the accompanying photoshoot. Furtado dazzled in a shiny, blue, ruched, open-back, mock-neck dress with built-in matching gloves, perfectly complemented by blue jewel earrings.

Fans flooded the comment section swooning Furtado's "ageless" look.

"The dress. The face. The body. She is back! And she hasn't aged a day, wow," an Instagram user wrote.

"Ageless beauty," added another.

"Obsessed with this whole look," someone shared.

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