Nelly Furtado

Nelly Furtado (born December 2, 1978 in Victoria. British Columbia) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, who has been one of Canada's most visible pop stars in recent years. She won a Grammy in February 2002 for her debut hit song, "I'm Like a Bird".

One of three children to Portuguese parents, Furtado learned to play trombone and ukulele at the age of nine, keyboard at 11, and began composing her own songs at 13. She then formed a trip-hop group called Nelstar. Nelstar played eight dates on the "village stage" of the Sarah McLachlan founded Lilith Fair.

Some of her songs feature lyrics in Portuguese and Hindi.

Performing one night at Toronto nightclub Lee's Palace, Furtado met Philosopher Kings singer Gerald Eaton. Eaton became an important collaborator, co-producing Furtado's debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, when she signed with DreamWorks.

Her style, described by Toronto Sun writer Jane Stevenson as a cross between Macy Gray and Ivana Santilli, incorporates pop, trip-hop, bossa nova, soul, R&B, hip-hop and folk, and was a result of her urge to move beyond the kinds of music that had always emotionally moved her. She has mentioned Cornershop, Beck and Finley Quaye as factors in her sound.

Before her record deal, her music was slighty gloomy, along the lines of Portishead and Radiohead. After a while, she tired of all her songs being depressing. She has been quoted that: "...then I realized good music does not have to be sad, it can be poppy and wonderful and fun, and that's the kind of record I want to make."

Her second album, Folklore, was released in 2003, which included Força (Force), the official anthem of Euro 2004.

She has also been associated with the band Swollen Members who are old friends from British Columbia.

On September 20, 2003, Nelly gave birth to a daughter named Nevis.

Timeline of Noteworthy Events in Nelly Furtado's career

• June 2000 – Vanity Fair features Nelly Furtado.
• October 20, 2000 – First appearance on Jay Leno's The Tonight Show.
• October 24, 2000 – Whoa, Nelly! released.
• January 13, 2001 – She was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, with Charlie Sheen as that episode's host.
• November 25, 2003 – Folklore released.

Discography

Albums

• 2000 Whoa, Nelly!; #24 US, #2 UK
• 2003 Folklore; #38 US, #11 UK

Singles

• 2000 "Party's Just Begun ... Again" [promo only]
• 2001 "I'm Like a Bird" #9 US, #5 UK
• 2001 "Turn off the Light" #5 US, #4 UK
• 2002 "On the Radio (Remember the Days)" #18 UK
• 2002 "Trynna Finda Way" [Mexico only]
• 2002 "Hey, Man"
• 2002 "Breath" (as featured vocalist, with Swollen Members)

• 2003 "Powerless (Say What You Want)" #13 UK
• 2004 "Try" #15 UK
• 2004 "Força" #40 UK
• 2004 "Explode"
• 2005 "The Grass Is Green" [Europe only]

Collaborations

• "Quando, Quando, Quando" on Michael Bublé's It's Time (2005)
• "Thin Line" on Jurassic 5's Power In Numbers (2002)
• "Fotografia" on Juanes' Un Día Normal (2002)
• "Sacrifice" on The Roots' Phrenology (2002)
• "Breathe" on Swollen Members' Monsters In The Closet (2002)
• "The Harder They Come" on Paul Oakenfold's Bunkka (2002)
• "Trés Fly" on Tallisman's 80 Million Isms (2002)
• "Fine Line" on Jarvis Church's Shake It Off (2002)
• "Ching Ching" on Ms. Jade's Girl Interrupted (2002)
• "What's Going On" on Artists Against AIDS' What's Going On (2001)
• "Get Ur Freak On" (Remix) by Missy Elliot on Lara Croft: Tomb Raider O.S.T. (2001)
• "Waitin' 4 The Streets" on Plains Of Fascination's Join the Ranks (1996)

• "Instant Karma" (Live) with Dave Stewart on Come Together – A Night For John Lennon's Words And Music DVD (2001)

• "I Feel You" featuring Esthero on Nelly Furtado's I'm Like A Bird single (2001)
• "Turn Off The Light" (Remix) featuring Ms. Jade and Timbaland on Nelly Furtado's Turn Off The Light single (2001)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Spanish version) featuring Juanes on Nelly Furtado's Força single (2004)

External links

• nellyfurtado.com – Official Website
• shitontheradio.com – The official Nelly Furtado fan site
• burninthespotlight.com – The official Nelly Furtado fans forum
• The site of a Portuguese fan