Nelly Furtado has revealed that she suffered an on-stage nervous breakdown whilst touring her third album, ‘Loose'.

The Portuguese-Canadian, who is set to release her fifth studio album, ‘The Spirit Indestructible,’ later this year, told the Mail On Sunday that her struggle to cope with the pressures of fame suddenly hit her during one of her shows:

“Six years ago I had a nervous breakdown on stage. I was on the Loose tour and my daughter was with me – I was being a mum and a singer on the road. I was exhausted.

"Then one night I went on stage and I suddenly realised how stressed-out I was. I actually cried my way through the first two songs. 

“I took a break from music and went home. And I realised that being at home and having the whole family experience was what I was seeking.”

The 33-year-old, who recently confessed that she would love to work with Jessie J, also admitted that she wasn't too concerned about taking such a lengthy absence from the music scene:  

“I had to learn to say no. People were trying to get me to record another album. I wasn’t worried about burning any bridges, though. My career has had its ups and downs – it’s not like it has all been super smooth.”

Watch Nelly Furtado perform her current single on Alan Carr's Chatty Man below: