Nelly Furtado once feared she would die after a terrifying 10-foot (three-metre) plunge off a stage during a gig in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Canadian pop star was performing in the Big Easy in 2002 when she slipped and toppled from the platform as she sang her hit track I'm Like A Bird.

The audience was convinced the dramatic incident was a scripted part of the show, but Furtado was left writhing in agony and fearing she'd suffered fatal injuries.

She tells British magazine Live, "I thought I was going to die when I fell 10 feet off stage. In 2002 I was performing at a big arena in New Orleans. I was in the middle of singing the most sensitive part of I'm Like A Bird when I stumbled and fell 10 feet to the ground.

"The crowd seemed to think it was part of the show. 'She's singing about being like a bird and she's trying to fly. How cool.' But I was hurt."