By 1998, Abreu had already achieved commercial success in Portugal, Spain, and South America. Her decision to appear in Playboy came during a period of transition in her career, when she sought to expand her global reach. While some critics viewed the move as a strategic, albeit risky, attempt to gain international attention, others interpreted it as a reflection of the pressures faced by female celebrities to conform to male-centric standards of visibility. Notably, this moment occurred during a time when Portuguese media often juxtaposed female artists as both respected performers and sexualized icons.