Cd Single Say It Right (Australia)

Audio Cd (2006)

2006 Australia 2-track cd includes 'Say It Right' [Radio Edit] & "Maneater" [Radio 1 live Lounge Session].

Track Listing:
1. Say it right - radio edit
2. Maneater - radio 1 live lounge session

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Cd Single Promo Remixes Say It Right (European)

2007 European 4-track promotional remix CD includes mixes from Peter Rauhofer and Menage Music.

Track Listing
1. Peter Rauhofer Remix Part 1
2. Menage Music Remix
3. Dummies Club Mix
4. Friscia & Lamboy Electrobtribe Mixshow Mix

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Cd Single Promo Say it right (Netherlands)

Audio Cd (2006

2006 1-track promotional CD for the single 'Say It Right' taken from the 'Loose'.

Track Listing:
1. Say it right (radio edit)

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Cd Single Promo Do It (Netherlands)

Audio Cd (2007)

2007 issue 2-track CD single, including Radio Mix and alternate version featuring Missy Elliott.

Track Listing
1. Do It - Radio Mix
2. Do It - feat. Missy Elliott

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Revista T (Portugal, Março/Abril 2008)

Revista T (Portugal, Março/Abril 2008)

Nelly Furtado Sem Preconceitos
O último álbum apresentou-a sexy como nunca, e a mudança resultou em cheio: sete milhões de discos vendidos e novas nomeações para os Grammy. Nelly Furtado foi a artista mais ouvida nas radios portuguesas em 2007.
Texto João Alexandre
Fotografia Mark Liddell: Click Here

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Missbehave Magazine (US, 2006)

Missbehave Magazine (US, Autumn 2006)

Her Love it’s like whoa! – Nelly Furtado talks about her baby daddy, blowing up, and finally getting Loose.

Text: Andréa Duncan-Mao
Missbehave Photoshoot: Click Here

We’ve all heard the old adage that children change everything. Usually, it’s partnered with complaints from new parents about sleep deprivation, lack of a social life; loss of financial freedom. But for most, it’s just a new way to look at life—and themselves—knowing that the world is bigger than once thought. For a pop culture reference, think back to Madonna’s 1998 Ray of Light album—the one right after Lourdes—where she radiated energy, creativity and sensuality. The petulant provocateur that cursed on Letterman, kissed statues of saints and got her S&M-laced, quasi-lesbian videos banned from MTV, finally seemed content—dare we say settled—in her newly curvy frame.

A similar metamorphosis has happened to our girl Nelly Furtado. It’s been five years since this daughter of Portuguese, working-class immigrants became the hottest Canadian export since Ginger Ale. Propelled by the whimsical hit “I’m Like a Bird,” the British Columbia-born, Toronto-bred former trip hopper and hotel maid’s debut album Whoa Nelly! earned her a Grammy and sold an over 7 million copies. Her natural beauty and quirky fashion sense—part Frida Kahlo, part b-girl, part downtown hipster—and lilting voice endeared her to legions of fans, Hollywood agents and Madison Avenue, who all wanted a piece of pop’s Next Big Thing. But instead of basking in the glow of fame and success, she turned inward, and in 2003 released a darker, more emotional second album—the somewhat lukewarmly received Folklore. The album’s heartfelt lyrics were inspired by the changes happening in her life and in her body—as the entire project was created while she was pregnant with her daughter, Nevis, now two and a half (the father is Nelly’s former boyfriend and bandmate, renowned turntablist, DJ Lil Jaz).

Now, the once wide-eyed flower child is back with a new attitude and a daring new album. Produced almost entirely by Timbaland, Loose is a cohesive collection of upbeat, dance-inspiring tracks that incorporate sounds as disparate as 80’s new wave, hip hop, reggaeton, R&B and traditional Latin ballads. And if you can’t tell from the name, or song titles like “Maneater” and “Glow,” or the steamy video for the single “Promiscuous,” Ms. Furtado has also gotten in touch with her, ahem, sensual side.Gone is the down-the-middle hair part, replaced by tousled highlights. No more modest skirts and hoodies, this Nelly’s all about bare midriffs and skinny jeans. In pictures and in person, she exudes the unflappable confidence of someone who knows just how much she’s capable of, in her eyes, the twinkle of an artist who knows they’ve made that album. On a cool Spring day, as she was gearing up to begin her worldwide promo tour for Loose, Nelly took some time to talk to Missbehave about life as a single mom, rollin’ like a rock star with Timbaland and how Crunk Juice might just be in her future.

How is it to be back in the saddle again after taking some time off between records?

You know, I don’t think I really took time off, I was just taking the time making the album, ‘cause I was having so much fun having my cake and eating it too. I was traveling around the world, with my little toddler, having a great time, kind of hanging out and having fun all day and at nighttime, getting to record with some of the best producers in the world.

Speaking of producers, you worked with Scott Storch, Pharrell, a lot of different producers, but Timbaland wound up being at the helm. How did that happen?

The president of my label, Jimmy Iovine, said, “You know, you should work with Timbaland again. You guys had something going [with the remix of Missy Elliott’s, “Get Your Freak On”], and you never really delivered on your promise. You did that song and left everyone wondering when you were going to come out with that sound again and you never did.” And it was funny because when Timbaland and I did that remix, it was kind of like a breakthrough, because for one little song, for one little remix, I got tons of respect and accolades. People would come up to me and know me from that song and it was incredible. And in the American hip hop world, it earned a lot of respect for one little remix you know? And it was really neat. So he played me some of Tim’s new stuff and it was like, wow! He was totally on the same wavelength as me – we just tapped into this vibe and it just got really artistically intense and fun and exciting. Timbaland kind of brings out the dark side of me and when I say dark I don’t mean negative, I mean like the mysterious side of who I am, kind of more magical side of me – it can be very seductive, you know? I think he just captures that musical part of me that is most seductive. So, we were coming from a really cool place. And we were so caught up in the music, we wouldn’t stop to eat. We would eat standing up and just keep working.

So how did Timbaland have time to get so diesel? He’s almost unrecognizable in the video.

Umm, Tim, he wakes up, he works out for like, three hours and then he works out for another three hours and then he does dinner or showers or whatever and then he comes to the studio and then chills, goes to the club, comes back and listens to music – he has a good life, a rock star life. It’s amazing because a lot of these musicians these days are really conservative and they don’t really live rock star lives but like, Timbaland, Scott Storch, Pharrell, they’re the ones living it up! First of all, they’re far richer than any other artist so they have a little more money to burn so it’s just so fun to be around them, they’re so entertaining. It’s like going to an amusement park, you know?

I’d imagine your life is a bit rollercoaster-ish now. What’s it like, now that you’re at the fever pitch of promotion, to balance the professional demands and the demands of being a mom?

It’s basically like being on a teeter-totter at a hundred miles an hour, like up and down, up and down, but like, I have help, you know? Luckily, I have a co-parent, her dad, who’s amazing so [it’s] between me and him and all the family and friends around who help reach out. I grew up watching my aunt in Portugal raising 8 children and my grandmother, she had 10 children. My other grandmother raised 8 children. So, I’ve grown up watching motherhood just be a part of life, not be this separate corridor that you have to walk down.

Nevis’ dad, Lil Jaz, was also in your band. That sounds complicated.

He’s probably the best DJ in Canada, hands down, one of the best DJs in the world so I was blessed to have him on stage with us because he’s extremely musical but he’s moved on to other projects, his major project is being Nevis’ father (laughs). There are amazing pros to the situation. It’s nice to have two artist parents too because when the parents aren’t working, they’re time is like, totally devoted to the child ‘cause the artist’s schedule is not a 9 to 5 schedule. So that’s really nice for Nevis as well. And I’m always reading about the subject and staying educated and staying informed, as much as I can. I guess you just have to do your best in life, you know? I kind of go, “Okay, things didn’t work out.” And that’s okay.

How has motherhood influenced you as an artist?

The major thing that happened to me was vulnerability. I think that the vulnerability that you get when you become a mother and you’re suddenly responsible for this little being and it’s like the floodgates of love open up and you just feel like, at one with all the mothers of the world and you feel more akin, more connected to everybody, like connected to humanity – sounds kind of corny but it’s sort of like this cool little club that you’re a part of. And I think for me it was like, okay, I have a family, I’ve got to provide for my family and I also want to show her a good work ethic so all of a sudden I got more serious about my job like, this is a job and I want to do it well, more professionally, like show up on time and things ‘cause before I was kind of like a little stick floating down the river, you know? And my manager used to tell me, “You have no goals. You’re just in it for the thrill.” And I was, when I first got into music, I’m not gonna lie, part of it was just for the clothes and the boys. [Laughs.]

Don’t think you’re gonna have a problem with boys. You’re showing a lot of skin this time around.

Yeah, it’s funny ‘cause I think it’s an inner sexuality that I’m expressing, like an inner confidence. I always loved the way that groups like TLC and Salt n’Pepa and even Mary now, you know, and Janet did it at a certain point in her career, kind of expressed their sexuality in a really fun, kind of, in control kind of way. I breastfed and traveled around the world with [Nevis] for two years and after that I was like arrhh! I was so tired, my body was so tired and I took a little time off and then I got my body back. It was like, oh my gosh! A new, improved body! I have curves! There’s curves for a reason, you know? Like I understood womanhood more and I think that’s probably what that sense is on the album so what you’re hearing is this new sound, like, celebration more of myself.I’m a little more about taking action now – experiencing life – good and the bad. Like if I’m at a photo shoot and I’m like, what looks good on me? This looks hot, let’s shoot it! It’s a different attitude now, I’m more assertive and way more to the point with people. I don’t try to sugarcoat things like I did in the past – people I work with, I’m just very like, clear and upfront – I don’t mind disappointing people anymore – not so protective of everybody’s ego.You know, I think you spend a lot of your life, as a teenager and growing up, just trying to be perfect, you know, fit in and try to do the right thing. I think for a long time you’re like, “I don’t care what anybody says”, but you really do care. And I’m at the point where I genuinely don’t care what people think.

Which seems to be very different than the mindset you were in for Folklore.

The success thing can be kind of daunting and you kind of want to reclaim yourself. With Folklore, I was dealing with those issues of like: how do I go from [being a] chambermaid to my first house purchase being a mansion. Just like how my first interview was with Vanity Fair and my first TV performance was with Saturday Night Live. It was like, how do you deal with all of that? I was dealing with that, going, “Ohh, okay. What does this all mean? Where do I come from?” Kind of dealing with my roots so I could move forward. I come from a small town, and a small town is always kind of, subconsciously trying to pull you back into that mentality of like, not being good enough. So now it’s kind of cool because I’m just appreciating where I’m at and going, “Hey! I’m blessed and I’m so lucky to have this job so let’s make the most of it!” Life is just so short and you never know when everything is going to be taken from you. Like, in a way, it feels like my first album coming out again, it feels like a whole new career or something, it’s really weird.

You are very involved in your Portuguese heritage and social causes, yet you’ve gone for a lighter, apolitical vibe on the new album.

I like the idea of doing the socially conscious stuff outside the music, like in my own time you know, attending different charities and doing work in other fields. But—and I know it sounds so crazy but I’m enjoying being the pop star right now. Before, I didn’t enjoy it as much. I shied away from the limelight because I didn’t have skills. I didn’t get to go to Mickey Mouse Club. I didn’t know how to pose for pictures or how to talk in sound bites. All these things are skills and they make your job in showbiz easier and I fought it for a long time like, “Bob Dylan didn’t talk in sound bites.” I had this very punky attitude, but now I have a little more of a practical, adult attitude like, “Okay, if this helps me through the day, will make the finished product better, than I’m going to go for it.” And that’s really changed a lot of things.

So nowadays a pop star has a clothing line, perfume and acts in movies. Is that in your future too?

I was resisting the complete branding of me, for the last 6 years, but now I’ve opened my mind to how great it can be and [how it can be] such a sense of self-expression, you know? I think I was focusing on the negative side of having multiple careers but now I’m more confident as a person. Like, when I first came out, I got all these scripts to me. It was a combination of me not liking the scripts and me feeling like I was stuck as an extra. So what happened two years ago was that I started acting lessons. I have an agent and I keep looking at things so definitely, I want to make an appearance in something that’s really fun for me. And as far as clothing lines and all that—before I got offered all sorts of things, you know, deals for modeling campaigns and I turned down every single thing and now I’m just in a different mind frame. I’m ready to take over! No, I’m just kidding (chuckles). No, but for me, it’s gotta be organic. If it feels like, “Okay, it makes sense”, or if I like the people involved with it or…

Right – It’s not going to be like, “I’m going to endorse the Nelly cigarette”.

Exactly. Because you have to look at yourself in the mirror at the end of the day, you know? I don’t think I’ll have my own power drink or anything like that.

No Crunk Juice for you?

Probably not, but I understand why people do it, you know? So who knows? Never say never.

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Nuvo Magazine (Canada, 2006)

Nuvo Magazine (Canada, 2006)

Nelly Furtado

And this bird can sing.

A crisp afternoon in the city, snow abundant, a few kids shooting hoops regardless in an otherwise empty lot, a CD player accompanying them, almost all stuff from the rap charts. On Nelly Furtado’s new record, more metaphorically than literally called Loose, there is a true musical affinity with this music, an understanding of it, accompanied by some grateful folk touches and some resolutely pop sounds. As Nelly enters the studio for some photography, she is singing something she just heard on the street, sits down for some styling, and she’s beautiful, that’s for sure.

The new record is strong from start to finish. Each song has a distinctive introduction, some studio banter, a few seemingly random chords that suddenly come together, but never a straight-ahead slam into the song. Each song also ends in a unique way, whether it is a coda, some comment about the jam, or most often some instrumental work to bring it out. These are Beatles trademarks, extra incursions of creativity and intelligence into what is all too often a homogenized product: the popular song.

The record is on the studio sound system while Nelly is being made up and dressed for the photo shoot, and between tracks she sings a bit of “I’m Like A Bird”, the song that basically launched her career into the pop stratosphere. “That was so long ago,” she laughs. She is thoughtful about her music of the present, the direction it’s taking, and agrees with my Beatles analogy: “We really tried to give this an organic energy, jamming and singing and constructing the songs. But after we got it to a certain stage, I wanted to give every song something else. So we worked on how to bring them in, and how to end them. And the arrangements, you’re right, they are sparse. That’s because I wanted everything to stand out, nothing to get lost. When there is tabla, you should really hear the tabla.”

She is remarkably patient with the lengthy make-up process. “In the early days, this really bugged me. Drove me crazy. But it didn’t take me long to realize that it’s much easier to go with it, it’s part of the business, and you have to do it. It took too much energy to fight it.” She has her own, particularized sense of style, wears almost anything with great flair, adores costume jewellery, but looks pretty amazing in Chanel cutoff jeans. “The hair takes awhile. I’ve had a child, so it’s thinning a bit already,” she laughs again. The hair stylist shares a few points on volumizing, but basically says what everyone in the room is already thinking; her abundant hair is just fine, and the session rolls along. The thinning hair comment, though, is representative of Nelly. She is bright and a bit brash, totally self-aware and confident, and a straight shooter, although very much on the articulate side of the ledger.

“We really tried to give this an organic energy, jamming and singing and constructing the songs. But after we got it to a certain stage, I wanted to give every song something else.”

While photos are being taken, an advance copy, almost a rough cut, of Sam Roberts’s Chemical City rushes out of the studio speakers. Nelly responds to some songs more than others, often dancing between shots, clapping her hands in time, or tapping a thigh. “Oh, what’s the name of that one? I love it,” she says at one point. (The track is “Bridge to Nowhere”.) It must seem like a long way from her suburban Victoria neighbourhood, where she ran a touch wild with a group of friends and musicians, many of whom have had success in the industry as well. And Nelly has a lot of loyalty to those days and the people who inhabited her world. Luisa Duran, who is today applying make-up, was one of those high school friends. (“Nelly called one day, and said, ‘Hey my new record comes out soon, and we’re going on tour. 18 months. Want to come along?’ I said absolutely, and here we are.”)

Back in the make-up chair for touch-ups, Nelly thumbs through a couple of earlier issues of NUVO, sees Céline Dion and smiles: “She knows how to reach her audience, doesn’t she?” No doubt. (Not that Nelly considers her own audience to be necessarily the same, but the advance hype surrounding Loose is pretty intense, and her label, Universal, believes they have a hit on their hands. I’m sure that is true, and there is so much crossover potential here, from genres like rap and hip-hop, that are not always given to that sort of thing, Black Eyed Peas aside.) She also comes across an interview with Michael Bublé, with whom she did a duet (“Quando, Quando, Quando”) for his latest album, It’s Time. I tell her in some detail about Michael’s recollection of the recording, how Nelly showed up at the studio, pulled up a chair and a microphone, and blew everyone away with her jazz-inflected take, miles and miles away from Engelbert. Another laugh, and she affirms “I just wanted to come at it a little differently. And I was working a bit on my own new songs at the time, experimenting with things. I just wanted it to be musical.”

That is the guiding principle behind her new record, as well. “The first two, well, one was a trip-hop, pop thing, the other, more folk, but still a little too cerebral. I wanted this one to be much more about feeling the music.” Still, a song like “Explode”, from Folklore, has a lot of the elements you will find on Loose. When asked about the bass line for that tune, she nods, agrees that there are some thoughtful, compelling arrangements, and that the bass player really knows how to play music, not just accompany the rest of the band. “That’s probably my favourite song from that record.” It has a wonderful video to boot, with some animated segments that caught a lot of people’s attention: “They asked me if the lead character could be developed into a television series for kids. But I just couldn’t see her being used to sell gum and sugared cereal. So I said no.” Again, there is Nelly’s forthright approach, and at this stage in her career, no usually means no.

We listen to the patient arrangement of “’Fraid”, with its lovely a cappella ending. “We showed up at the studio, I brought some lyrics, but often I wrote them while we jammed. It is such a talented team. And Tim, well, he is a master of moods. He travels with a duffel bag full of CDs, seems to know every song, and he creates these amazing beats. We all work with that.” Tim is Timbaland, Miami-based rap producer, who has a certain way with a popular hit, while never seeming to sacrifice his credibility within the more hardcore community. So, he can produce “Cry Me A River” for Justin Timberlake, and collaborate with Snoop Dog at the same time. Or produce Missy Elliott and Jay-Z, Nas and Aaliyah. (He worked with Nelly and Timberlake for a track on Timberlake’s upcoming record, as well.)

“When I was 13 or 14, it was just me and my friends, listening to R&B, Salt-N-Pepa, that kind of thing. And Indian music, I loved it … these are cultures that I borrow from.”

Nelly Furtado makes deliberate decisions with her music, knows how to assemble the right team for what she wants to achieve, and in this case, “I wanted to reflect the live shows a lot more. Onstage, it is like being part of a collective, and I wanted this new work to have that kind of feel. I was a little too analytical with the previous records.”

There are influences, of course, beyond the artists she brings in to record. “When I was 13 or 14, it was just me and my friends, listening to R&B, Salt-N-Pepa, that kind of thing. And Indian music, I loved it. Cornershop was always one of my favourite bands. These are cultures that I borrow from, and then with Tim, or Juanes [with whom Nelly has performed live, and recorded several times, including a stark, lovely ballad on Loose, called “Te Busqué”], it all comes together.” Nelly was behind the glass, producing her first two albums, but this time around, her approach was much different. “With Tim producing, I just showed up, played music, had a lot of fun, even made up lyrics on the spot. It had a spontaneous feel, and I think that translated onto the tracks.” There has been a lot of attention to production detail, though, and in that process she is very involved. “Promiscuous”, the first single (and which has been, to an unfortunate degree, interpreted quite literally by a certain number of advance press) shows all the hallmarks of a great basic track being polished a bit, the arrangements vibrant and fresh but complex and well-thought-out as well. Or “Maneater”, again a killer groove, what Nelly calls “voodoo energy, elevated energy” but the song ends with a complex array of vocals which might even overwhelm a lesser song.

Tabla (on “Wait For You” for example), Brazilian percussion (“Say it Right”), and even a bit of late 50s, early 60s girl-pop come to vivid life on “Showtime”. There is a wide array of musical influence on this record, but it is all coherent, held together as a whole by the forceful singer/songwriter at the centre of it. After listening to “Showtime”, Nelly says, “Yeah, I wanted to sing a song like all those great pop singers did.” We talk a little about Lesley Gore, whose string of Quincy Jones-produced hits included “It’s My Party”. “Wow,” says Nelly. “I remember that one. Great song.”

There is also a duet with Coldplay’s Chris Martin. If you happened to catch Coldplay on Austin City Limits doing “In the Sun” with Michael Stipe, you might not be surprised to discover how great a harmony singer Martin is. “All Good Things” is the song; it begins with Martin sounding very much in high-pitched Coldplay mode, but he soon brings his vocal down into an incantatory-style accompaniment of Nelly’s own vocal. The result is beyond charming, nearly haunting in its beauty and its simplicity. “I loved doing that,” Nelly says. “Chris wanted to drop in to the studio because he loves Tim’s work so much, and Tim loves Coldplay, and, well, there we were. We just started jamming, and Chris just did his own thing alongside mine. It was great.”

Night has descended on Toronto, and Nelly has events, and miles, to go before she sleeps. The hoop’s mesh sits quiet, the snow has a thin crust on it, since the day got just warm enough. As she begins to pack up, she talks a little about family, her parents, Portuguese, who taught her how to respect and abide by a solid work ethic, her daughter, nearly three years old, who teaches her about spontaneity and joy. It is safe to say a whole lot of people are going to listen to Loose over the coming months, beat-driven but always catchy somehow, whether in cars, in clubs, or at someone’s home, and they will find some pleasure in the listening, and want to get the record for themselves, so they can get better acquainted with it. It’s that sort of music, popular in a fairly broad sense, but deeply personal as well.

And as Nelly Furtado, the person who is the creative force behind this music, goes out into the Toronto night, it is astonishing to realize that seven hours have gone by in a beat. All good things come to an end. But then you buy the disc, and it’s yours, again.

Story by Jim Tobler

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MacLean's Magazine (Canada, 2001)

The 2001 Honour Roll - Nelly Furtado
'These creative things come together for me when they are supposed to'
By Shanda Deziel
Photos: Click Here

As the sun sets in the cool Nevada desert, Nelly Furtado is on the lookout for rattlesnakes, cacti and other hazards, but all she finds is some litter resembling a skull and crossbones. The 23-year-old singer is enjoying the downtime, only a few kilometres from Las Vegas -- where she is spending two days promoting her debut CD, Whoa, Nelly! The visit is a mixed bag: schmoozing DJs at a radio convention, hanging out with other celebrities and winning a U.S. Radio Music Award for Turn Off the Light, the most requested song of the year.

In the tranquillity of the desert or under the bright lights of the Las Vegas Strip, Furtado is equally at ease. She's part B.C. hippie and part urban chic. And she seems exceptionally well adjusted, considering her meteoric rise from musically inclined Victoria teenager who cleaned rooms at the Robin Hood Motel to four-time Juno Award winner and international recording star. Furtado's next challenge is to prove her overnight success is no fluke with a follow-up album, which she'll record in the spring. "The songs are really coming together," says Furtado. "I know they will. It's pretty much all I believe in -- that these creative things come together for me when they are supposed to."

Although you can't shake her confidence -- Furtado has known since she was 4 that she would be a famous musician -- she is the first to insist she's still learning. "I wasn't bred as a performer like all those other kids," she says, referring to her pop counterparts who got their start on the 1990s version of the Mickey Mouse Club. "I was raised more to be an artist, to reflect, write, work really hard behind the scenes."
As a child, Furtado took to the stage each year at a neighbourhood Portugu

ese festival, but it was the preparation she remembers best. Her mother, who was born in Portugal, "would give me a bunch of folk tapes and tell me to pick a song. When I found one I liked, I would transpose it to my ukulele and just start practising." By age 12, Furtado was writing her own songs. At 17, she joined her elder sister in Toronto and performed at local hip-hop talent nights. Although approached about a recording deal, Furtado didn't feel ready. "I couldn't play guitar. I couldn't write a whole song," she recalls. "I could have made an all-right indie album, but I couldn't have made a world-class pop album." So Furtado returned to Victoria for creative writing at Camosun College, went backpacking through Europe and, three years later, came back to Toronto in 1999 to make Whoa, Nelly!

Now, after a year of dreams coming true -- from "meeting cute boys and getting free clothes," to guest appearances at the John Lennon tribute, the Aretha Franklin VH1 special and Michael Jackson's 30th anniversary concert, to receiving fan letters that say "my songs help people through tough times" -- Furtado is starting to reflect on what propelled her to stardom and what will keep her grounded. "My parents raised me well," she says. "They taught me two things: to treat people right and work hard. I just apply myself the same way I did when I was in the high-school marching band or in college studying for an exam or when I was cleaning at the Robin Hood." And that's how Furtado will conquer the music world, one room at a time.

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Blag Magazine (UK, 2006)

Blag Magazine (UK, 2006)

“It wasn’t until I got to work with Timbaland in Miami where I was like, “Wooow, this is exciting, I want the whole album to sound like this”” – Nelly Furtado
“[Loose] was more about catching a vibe in the studio. If we didn’t feel a vibe we would move onto something new. So it was very vibe oriented and I learnt how to really let go and follow my impulses” – Nelly Furtado

Interview: Sally A. Edwards

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WWD Beauty Biz Magazine (US, 2007)

WWD Beauty Biz Magazine (US, September 14, 2007)

FEMME FATALE; COMING OFF A STELLAR YEAR, SUPERSTAR NELLY FURTADO ENCHANTS IN THE SEASON'S MOST SOPHISTICATED MAKEUP.


By Jenny B. Fine

Photographed by Guy Aroch: Click Here

Talk about hot. During Nelly Furtado's first day of recording her latest album Loose, a speaker spontaneously combusted, bursting into flames and sending Furtado and her producer Timbaland fleeing for safety.

Since then, the temperature has continued to rise for the Canadian pop star. Loose, which made its debut at number one when it was released in June of last year, has subsequently gone platinum or gold in 28 countries, making Furtado the biggest-selling female recording artist of the last 12 months. Four singles have hit number one worldwide, and Furtado won five Juno awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys), a Brit Award and a Grammy nomination. She had Princes William and Harry dancing in their seats during her rollicking performance at the Concert for Diana in early July, while Loose continues to sell about 100,000 copies a week globally. And earlier this summer she got engaged to Demacio "Demo" Castellon, a sound engineer she met while recording the album. No surprise she's loving every moment.

"With my first album, I didn't take the time to enjoy the success," says Furtado, whose freshman effort in 2000, Whoa, Nelly, sold almost five million copies and was followed in 2003 with Folklore. "The third time around, I'm not taking it for granted. I'm enjoying myself more and I finally feel comfortable on stage 100 percent of the time. Before, I had a love-hate relationship with performing," she continues. "Now, I love it."

Furtado had plenty of opportunity to perform this year. In addition to touring Europe and the U.S., she was a frequent presence at myriad award shows, both on stage and on the red carpet. For Furtado, the two are closely intertwined. "The red carpet is almost like when you go out on stage and perform, because you never know what the audience is going to be like and what's going to capture people's attention," she says. "You want to be comfortable, but not too comfortable, because then you're not taking a risk."

While some stars may profess not to pay attention to the cadre of red-carpet fashion critics, Furtado approaches it with eyes wide open. "The red carpet is a tool," she says. "It's where you go to launch a new project or album or look. You can't show up in a potato sack." No danger of that for Furtado, who's worn Giorgio Armani, Roberto Cavalli and Versace, among others, and also champions Canadian designers such as Greta Constantine, Izzy Camilleri and Arthur Mendonca.

On the beauty front, she's shown herself to be equally as chameleon-like and fearless. She has a face that makeup artists swoon over, sometimes opting for a strong, smoky eye, sometimes an attention-grabbing red lip, sometimes a bright wash of color on her cheeks and lips; on the hair front, she's not afraid to experiment either. This year alone, her hair has been straight, curly, long, short, up, down, with and without bangs and, most recently, she decided to lighten her color, too. When asked if she was game for wearing the dramatic fall makeup looks seen here, Furtado jumped at the opportunity. "For me, the more creative, the more artistic, the better," she says. Still, she's aware of perception versus reality in the music business, and works hard to keep the focus on who she is, rather than what she looks like.

"When you're a singer and you're singing someone's favorite song, they don't want to be staring at your eyeliner," says Furtado. "They want to look at your eyes, your expressions, your emotions. The way I keep my job fun is by trying new looks and styles, but you don't want to alienate the audience, either," she continues. "Most fans don't necessarily connect with that kind of high style-they think it looks crazy. You're always walking the line between looking fresh and interesting and maintaining a familiarity."

Most of Furtado's fans would be able to relate to her daily routine, honed during months of rigorous travel. "I've learned what I need for maximum effect and minimal effort," she says. That includes cream blush by Bobbi Brown or Stila, skin care by Guinot and, most recently, ProActiv's anti-acne line. "It's like a guerilla attack on acne," she laughs.

Though Furtado recently wrapped up her U.S. tour, she shows no signs of slowing down. There's talk of creating a band with Timbaland, who's currently working with Madonna, and she's also interested in recording an album in Spanish or Portuguese (her family emigrated to Canada from Portugal). Loose will be rereleased in October, with additional tracks and some Spanish songs, and Furtado also hopes to release a live performance DVD and album. "Music has been my whole life," says the 28-year-old, who started writing music at age three, playing instruments at seven and recording professionally at 16. "God was nice and decided to give me this one talent so I wouldn't end up in the street," she laughingly adds.

That doesn't seem likely. Though Furtado has many of the trappings that come with the territory, she doesn't have the ego. "Every year, Giorgio Armani sends me a birthday present with a telegram. I keep them all, in case one day I have nothing to do with this business and I'm living in a tent; I can pull them all out and say, 'One day long ago, Giorgio Armani wanted me to wear his sunglasses and dresses.'"

If Furtado seems extraordinarily grounded for a pop superstar, that's because she is. "I come from simple, humble, working class roots," she says. "I work really hard and that keeps me grounded. It's grounding to be a mother and to have my family around me." She pauses for a moment. "Recently my aunt taught me how to make some traditional Portuguese soups. I try to do as many normal things as I can and all the other stuff, that's fantastic and wonderful, but I take it with a grain of salt and treat it with whimsy."

Looks:

Red Hot:

"Nelly has the most amazing face for makeup," raves makeupartist Charlie Green, who created the looks here. Of this season's must-have red lip, Green says, "I love the elegance of a perfect lip. I love that it's the one thing that you can do that has instant impact."

Bare Essential:

When clothes are rich in color and texture, as this season's directional looks are, makeup takes a backseat. "Think gorgeous, monochromatic, matte skin with a nude lip, tons of mascara, defined eyebrows and killer cheekbones," says Green. "It's very polished - not too much, not too little."

Direct Effect:

"Nelly has exquisite eyes," says Green. "They're an amazing color with an insane tilt to the edge." To highlight them, Green first applied a cream eyeliner, then brushed on layers of shadow in black, copper, gold and bronze to achieve the look seen here. "By layering on deep pigment, you create a color so luscious it's like velvet. There's nothing sexier than a strong eye."

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Chín Magazine (US, 2006)

Chín Magazine (US, September 30, 2006)

So Chill – Nelly Furtado is feeling laid back, she’s feeling sexy and in charge and her music is all the better for it.

“There’s this weird miami aesthetic running through [the album]... there’s a deep, dark spookiness, intensity and rawness to that aesthetic and I think the album captures those things.”
“... We catch a vibe and ride the wave and finish the song. We mix it and put it away and move onto the next record. All the little raw notes are in there, rough around the edges, some of the bass is distorted and my lyrics are written in seconds; but it’s all very unpretentious.”

Photography by Scott Council: Click Here

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Turn Off The Light 12” (2001)

Turn Off The Light 12” (2001)

12” Vinyl (2001)

Track Listing
A1. Turn Off The Light (Remix), featuring Ms. Jade and Timbaland

A2. Turn Off The Light (Yogle’s Sunshine Reggae Mix)

A3. Turn Off The Light (Richard Vission Astromatic Mix)

B1. I’m Like A Bird (Junior’s Earth Anthem)

B2. Turn Off The Light (Decibel’s After Midnight Mix)

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Party's Just Begun (Again) 12" (2000)

Party's Just Begun Again 12" promo debut!

12” Vinyl (2000)

Track Listing

Side 1
A1. Party's Just Begun (Again) (LP Version)

A2. Party's Just Begun (Again) (Decibel Mix)

A3. Party's Just Begun (Again) (Syndicate Mix)

Side 2

B1. Party's Just Begun (Again) (Gavo's Deep Fried Mix)

B2. Party's Just Begun (Again) (Choroni Mix)

B3. Party's Just Begun (Again) (Reprise)

B4. Party's Just Begun (Again) (Vocal Mix)

Rare US promotional only 12" debut release on Giant Step 2000

plain sleeve with title sticker + press release

Advance release from the debut album "Whoa, Nelly!"Promotional issue with original DJ questionnaire bio sheet. Promo sticker on black jacket.

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Hello! Magazine (Canada, 2007)

Hello! Magazine (Canada, 16 April 2007)

Nelly Furtado steals the show at the junos and opens up about her life as a mom.

“I’m a mother now so I’m more assertive”
“It’s one of the hardest things I’ve had to do”, says Nelly of balancing work and motherhood“I’m starting to become more of a diva!...I’m more assertive with what I want”

Report: Wendy Metcalfe
Cover photo by George Pimentel: Click Here

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Hello! Magazine (Canada, 2006)

Hello! Magazine (Canada, 23 October 2006)

Exclusive photos and interview – Nelly Furtado
Pop music’s yummiest mummy opens up about: her daughter; embracing her heritage; her fearless confidence; finding powerful role models

"I'm new, better and improved," Nelly Furtado tells Hello! magazine in an exclusive interview and photo shoot in Toronto.The Grammy-winning sensation and pop music's yummiest mummy opens up about her daughter, embracing her heritage, her new found fearless confidence and finding powerful role models. The sexy songstress graces the cover of Hello! hitting news stands nationally starting today.

Highlights from the interview:

- On dancing in impossibly big stilettos: "I used to admire Beyoncé because she could dance in those high-heeled shoes. She could do stairs and everything! I thought, how does she do that?... I learnt how to walk in them and haven't looked back since."

- On what Nevis, her three year-old daughter, thinks of her glamorous mother: "We've developed quite a separation between work and home. She knows when I put the makeup on that it's time for work."

- On how becoming a mother changed her: "Overall, I felt like more of a woman and more in my body. That's another reason I'm so much more confident now. As a parent, you become more assertive."

- On role models: "Everything I am is due to the fact that I had strong female role models in my life. Obviously, my great grandmother is at the root of all that.... She was a toughie, that's for sure."

- On her home: "That's why I live in Toronto, which is a truly unique multicultural city. I want to raise Nevis in a culturally diverse environment and expose her to everything."

“Acting has taught me how to play roles and jump into a character. Some days, if I’m doing a lot of Tv interviews, I play different characters in each one.”
“The moment I gave birth I felt I could write the most beautiful poem in the world because I felt so connected to the world. All of a sudden, I knew the secret.”

Report: Nicholas Jennings
Hello Magazine Photoshoot: Click Here

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