Profile of Nelly Furtado on Famous Like Me

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

Biography

Nelly Furtado was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada one of three children born to Portuguese parents. She learned to play trombone and ukulele at the age of nine and keyboard at eleven. She began composing her own songs when she was thirteen. Shortly thereafter, she formed a trip-hop group called Nelstar. Nelstar played eight dates on the "village stage" of the Sarah McLachlan founded Lilith Fair.

She has produced tracks in English, Portuguese, Hindi, and Spanish.

Performing one night at a 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 Records.

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 have 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 became tired of all her songs being depressing. She has said "...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."

On September 20, 2003, Furtado gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Nevis.

Furtado's second album, Folklore, was released on November 25, 2003 and included "Força" ("Force"), the official anthem of the 2004 European Football Championship.

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

She is set to make her acting debut in the film Nobody's Hero, which will begin shooting in late 2005.

Her next album is scheduled for release in January 2006.

Discography

Albums

• 2000: Whoa, Nelly! #2 Canada, #24 US, #2 UK, #8 MEX
• 2003: Folklore #38 US, #11 UK, #18 MEX
• 2006: Loose (to be released)

Singles

• 2000: "Party's Just Begun ... Again" (promotional single only)
• 2001: "I'm Like a Bird" #9 US, #5 UK, #4 MEX
• 2001: "Turn off the Light" #5 US, #4 UK, #2 MEX
• 2002: "On the Radio (Remember the Days)" #18 UK, #3 MEX
• 2002: "Trynna Finda Way" (released in Mexico only)
• 2002: "Legend" (released in South Africa only)
• 2002: "Hey, Man" (released in the UK only)
• 2002: "Breathe" (as featured vocalist, with Swollen Members)
• 2003: "Powerless (Say What You Want)" #13 UK, #18 MEX
• 2004: "Try" #15 UK, #1 (1 week) MEX
• 2004: "Força" #40 UK, #12 MEX
• 2004: "Explode" #154 MEX
• 2005: "The Grass Is Green" (released in Europe only)

Collaborations

• "Friendamine" on Jelleestone's The Hood Is Here (2005)
• "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)

iTunes exclusive

• AOL Sessions (2004)

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