Nelly Furtado (born December 2, 1978 in Victoria, British Columbia,
Canada) is a Canadian singer-songwriter.
Among her most successful songs are her debut single "I'm like a
Bird", for which she won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal
Performance in 2002, "Turn off the Lights", which reached #1 on
Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, and "For?a", the official
anthem of the 2004 European Football Championship.
Furtado was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada one of three
children born to Portuguese-Azorean 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.
After finishing high school, (Mt. Doug Secondary), Furtado moved to
Toronto where she formed the trip hop duo Nelstar* in 1997 with local
musician Tallisman with whom she had already worked the previously
summer, contributing vocals to the song "Waitin' 4 the Streets" on
Join the Ranks, the 1996 album of his band Plains of Fascination.
"Like", one of the songs Nelstar* recorded, received a VideoFACT grant
to cover for the production of a music video, but Furtado felt the
musical style of the Nelstar* recordings did not represent her
Performing one night at Toronto nightclub Lee's Palace, Furtado met
The 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 influences
in her sound.
Prior to being signed, Furtado's music has been described as less
colourful and associated more with indie bands such as Portishead and
Radiohead. However, Furtado tired of this style.
On September 20, 2003, Furtado gave birth to her first child, daughter
Nevis. The father is her then boyfriend Jasper Gahunia (alias Lil'
Jaz, Furtado's live DJ).
Furtado's second album, Folklore, was released on November 25, 2003.
The album includes the single "For?a", which was written as the
official anthem of the 2004 European Football Championship held in
Portugal, and Furtado also performed it at the championship's final in
She also was a guest presenter at the 2005 European Music Awards held
in Lisbon, Portugal.
Furtado made her acting debut in the film Nobody's Hero, to be
released sometime in 2006. Her third album, Loose, will be released on
23 May 2006, with the album's first single, "Promiscuous Girl",
featuring Timbaland, preceding it in March 2006. "No Hay Igual", a
Spanish dance track, will also be released to radio and clubs at the
same time, to create buzz. The album, mostly produced by Timbaland and
his production partner Danjahandz, will include songs such as
"Maneater", as well as "All Good Things", a collaboration with
Coldplay's Chris Martin.