Nelly Furtado

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.

Related Topics:
Victoria - British Columbia - Canada - Portuguese - Trombone - Ukulele - Keyboard - Trip-hop - Nelstar - Sarah McLachlan - Lilith Fair

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

Related Topics:
English - Portuguese - Hindi - Spanish

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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.

Related Topics:
Toronto - Lee's Palace - Philosopher Kings - Gerald Eaton - Whoa, Nelly! - DreamWorks

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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.

Related Topics:
Toronto Sun - Jane Stevenson - Macy Gray - Ivana Santilli - Pop - Bossa nova - Soul - R&B - Hip-hop - Folk - Cornershop - Beck - Finley Quaye

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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."

Related Topics:
Portishead - Radiohead

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

Related Topics:
September 20 - 2003

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

Related Topics:
Folklore - November 25 - 2003 - 2004 European Football Championship

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

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Her next album is scheduled for release in January 2006.

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