Nelly will be performing for the first time in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on 26-27th November 2010. In a recent interview she talked about a new track on her upcoming 4th English album “Lifestyle” and she mentioned inspiration for a new track:

Furtado has two projects on her plate for next year, which she is hoping to promote during her visit to the Emirates. Her new album, Lifestyle – the fourth English album she has produced – will be out in 2011 and she is also releasing a compilation album called The Best Of Nelly Furtado later this month.

She says the Lifestyle album is still a work in progress. She was in the studio this week – recording a Dolly Parton cover for an independent movie being produced in Montreal called The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mother – when inspiration for a new track struck.

“The song I’m singing is called The Seeker and it is a gospel-influenced track. As I was singing it, a whole new idea for a track for the new album came to me and I had to sit down and write all the lyrics on my BlackBerry. That kind of thing happens all the time,” she said.

And what is this about a Dolly Parton cover for an independent film?? Can anyone shed any light?

The interview with “The National” can be read in full here.

shmannon description

The slow song sounds like a love song, very kind of tropical island feel, she sang the words “i look(ed) into your eyes…” and then they cut to another scene. It sounds like an awesome song, like the album’s gonna be a mix of the Maneater stuff and good ol’ acoustic Nelly, but hey she’s always full of surprises…

When talking about her album “The biggest point I want to make about the album is that it’s not for you to over think, just put it in your cd player, relax, and get lost in it”.

At the end they showed the promo pics made by max87 (her in the forest) on the backdrop once again.

They played the same clip from her performing at night in barbados with the hot red pants, and there were also scenes in the day time of her performing that acoustic song, like mmm said in the poofy dress and green summer topic, a big chunky beaded necklace, she looked very natural, very pretty, nothing like those promo pics

They said she will hit the European festival circuit this summer, with a North American Tour planned for the Autumn and that the album comes out 23rd May 20th June 2006, as stated already.

She also said the best thing she ever did was have a baby. She said it was the best thing for herself, her body, and her career.

She said she LOVES her new body, it’s more curvy, she’s healthy, and she said her butt is bigger, which is good cause she’s making hip hop music haha. Then they went to a shot of her on stage singing maneater, having fun and shaking her bootay.

This interview has made me VERY excited for the album personally, even though I was somewhat sceptical before. Personally, and obviously from me watching the show is not gonna make me right by any means, but I think alot of people will be pleasantly surprised, dont’ get your hopes too too down, from the sounds of that acoustic song, it sounded VERY Nelly, yet in a different place from Folklore (way more happy) and nothing like Maneater or PG.

I hope this lightens some people’s opinions, and may I say this for everyone’s sake, wait for the album to make a complete judgement over ‘selling out’ or what not. It was kind of iffy to some with the sounds of Maneater and PG, but the new sounds on the show were very refreshing to hear, and very relieving haha. I’m happy! Hopefully someone taped it! Thanks for reading.

mmm’s description (detailed on what Nelly was wearing)

Just a different take on the lyric: “Now our love’s floating out the window” or “Now all that’s floating out the window”, but I am really not sure, and the lyric posted earlier could very well be the one.

The acoustic guitar appeared to be the only instrument used to accompany Nelly’s wonderful voice, and the song sounds enchanting…I love it already!

If the second clip is another song, it seems slower than the first and I thought I heard “I/ looked at your face/ and I saw the old” (the slashes indicate caesura).

She had really natural makeup, and her hair looked very natural in its soft waves and loosely braided on when she performed these songs, in fact, her whole look was bohemian. The outfit in which she performed was a blouson tank top in medium-toned turquoise with a white stripe bordering the top and bottom, and pretty lace-up spaghetti straps in white on each side.

The skirt was white and flat at the top, and the bottom had pleats or a ruffle. A dark pink stripe ran horizontally through the bottom of the skirt. She wore a thick white bangle on her left wrist, and a necklace with large stones in pale-pink, pale-green and white.

When interviewed she wore an almost-lime green tank with thick straps and a scoop-neck, and wide jean cut-off shorts that came down to her knees. She had a thick silver chain necklace, and a necklace with light green beads. Her hair was a sunkissed-brown.

Read more and reply

If anyone has a video please contact me

MB I’m just going to start by saying that when my career wasn’t exactly going strong, I thought that perhaps I’d be a journalist. So this is actually really cool for me to be able to ask you some questions, considering you’re my friend and I’m a huge fan of yours.

NF Aaagh!

MB You’re so cute, Nelly Furtado! Okay, so the first question that’s hugely important to me is about the Canadian music industry and whether you think we have our own “star system.”

NF Star system? Well, I’m not sure. I thought it was all very civil and low-key. But when I came onto the scene with my big, shiny pop song and my big, shiny pop video, I was living by myself in, like, a little loft apartment. I was almost freaked out to leave my apartment because overnight everyone had heard the song and it seemed like, all of a sudden, there was more of a market for a tabloidy-type culture, which I found really funny.

MB Both of us have been to many different countries. Don’t you find that each of those countries has their own identity?

NF Yeah, they do. I think everyone has their own culture. In Canada, all the classic songwriters like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Robbie Robertson started that whole eclectic thing: “I’ve got my guitar. I’ve got some really earnest lyrics, some great melodies and wide-open space. I’m going to write some touching ballads.” And people have kept that torch going, everyone from Sarah McLachlan to Avril Lavigne – even someone like Tom Cochrane, who’s a great songwriter with super lyrics.

There are all these great indie rock bands now, and everybody thinks they’re from New York. They’re not; they’re Canadian! Death From Above, Arcade Fire and Hot Hot Heat… It’s the most exciting music in the world right now, in my opinion. I never have more fun than when I’m collaborating with a Canadian artist, like with you or… I just did something with k-os. It’s just a lot of fun, you know?

MB Cool, thank you. I can hear your baby crying…

NF Oh no, no, she’s fine. She’s eating lunch.

MB So how is being a mummy?

NF I finally fit in! I’m not an alien anymore. I used to live in L.A. and I hated it, but I just spent two months there, and I thought everyone was so nice. It’s because I’ve got an adorable two-year-old next to me. That’s the thing: People are nicer to you when you’re a mother. You get a lot of respect.

Want to read more? Follow this link to the orginal interview at enRoute mag

Photographed by Jocelyn Michel on 29th June 2005 during the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal.

My findings: Britney Spears really is garbage. Absolute f*cking rubbish.

But with Whoa, Nelly!, I felt like Josh McDowell, who set out to disprove Christianity, but ended up giving his heart to The Big J.C..

Almost.

As Part II of my experiment, I spoke with Young Miss Furtado, undoubtedly offending her in the process.

“I started off independent,” she tells me, “with a trip hop band, making electronic music. This is just my next natural progression.”

Is she a co-conspirator with the Image Pop children?

“I wish I was like those musicians because they’ve got show biz chops,” she says. “They’ve been performing since they were children. I was just kind of a nerd writing songs in my room.”

Alright, I admit it. Whoa, Nelly! is basically what Britney and The Others desperately try to be. It’s definitely Pop, but it’s believable. It’s not assembled. It doesn’t sound like it was written by executives with ideas like, “well, the kids these days are really ‘down’ with that ‘hip-hop’ music.”

The bonerific Portuguese-Canadian culls from a variety of influences, be it bossa nova, dub, hip-hop, or Brazilian fado. She writes all her own music, plays all her own instruments, and she even co-produced the album. In the world of mainstream pop, Furtado is a rarity.

“[Pop music is] lowest common denominator a lot of the time,” she agrees. Britney Spears is kinda like the Campbell’s Soup kid. Andy Warhol would have loved her, ya know?

“She’s become an icon of some type of… I don’t know. She almost represents globalization, commercialism in a way. But not in a bad way. That’s just what she is and I think that’s what her appeal is. It’s like the Campbell’s Soup kid. Who knows if it’s evil or good, but it’s there, and somebody’s connecting to it. Musically…I don’t know.”

But image also plays an important part in the perception of Furtado and her music. Comparisons to Britney And The Others have indeed plagued her.

“It’s weird. I think I’ve shielded myself,” she says, audibly annoyed. “There’s a lot of things I do that people don’t see, but I just do for me ‘cause I love music. And it’s reflected in the people that want to work with me, the people that I do work with.”

True, Missy Elliott asked her to be on the “Get Ur Freak On” remix. True, Timbaland sampled her song “Baby Girl.” True, the Roots asked her to be on their upcoming album.

But then there’s this evidence: she wears a lot of cutesy, midriff-baring outfits. She’s done photo shoots for Teen People and Cosmo Girl. Her video for “Turn Off The Light,” with its bright, neon colors and zany dance antics, has a very Nickelodeon/Disney-esque feel to it (the album title, Whoa, Nelly!, goes without saying).

Whoa, Nelly! is a “fun” record. It has a distinctive Nelly sound, and in the land of MTV, it’s not so bad. But Grammy nods for Song of the Year (“I’m Like A Bird” and Best New Artist?)

By Scott Batiuk

And right when she asks that, I realise it might be. And I realise that California is what we spent a large part of two hours talking about, despite the fact that Nelly was raised in Canada to parents of Portuguese descent.

We spoke of Los Angeles, specifically, which has a habit of luring budding superstars like her into its wake. This 21-year-old singer has already been featured in TIME, Rolling Stone, Spin and Seventeen Magazine, to name just a few.

Her single, “Like a Bird,” off her album “Whoa, Nelly!” is currently number 3 on the Canadian pop charts, and she is drawing widespread comparisons to such established pop luminaries as Macy Gray, Alanis Morrisette and Janet Jackson.

If that weren’t enough, young Nelly is the focal point for Dreamworks Records, brainchild of Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. “Nelly is unlike anyone I’ve ever heard,” gushes A. & R. executive Beth Halper. “She’s a huge priority for the label.” And to think she almost chose creative writing over music.

So begins the voyage of Nelly Furtado.

The Interview

Nelly: I grew up in Victoria Island, on the West Coast of Canada. The area has such a rich cultural background, I mean I could be dancing at a Latin dance club one weekend and learning about Chinese culture the next.

Influx: That is some serious diversity.
That’s also when I was hanging out with the hip hop kids. I was into trip hop and experimentation, always into sound.

Can you be more specific?
I was raised on pop, not some extreme Indie pop. I was into LL Cool J, Ice T, Criss Cross, and The Jackson 5. I also love progressive Brazilian music. I’ve always had music in my head, you know what I mean? I can remember as a child driving and having soundtracks in my head to the scenery as it flew by.

Were you playing with anyone at that time?
I was writing with a d.j. friend of mine, more techno and ambient stuff along with open mics. I was in a west coast group called ‘Velvet,’ sort of a trip-hop funk kind of band.

Sounds like you just like jamming.
Oh yeah, I mean, I don’t know any cover songs at all (laughs). There is this thing called ‘Stir Fry’ in Victoria, you just kind of get up there and freestyle. Just jamming, making stuff up, like the beat poets. That’s what I like about hip hop – I think it’s really the spirit of “now”.

You’ve got a real connection to the whole underground scene.
My first experiments in music were very street, very underground. At that point, I really did it for my own personal joy.

That’s the way the album comes across. It’s upbeat and hopeful.
I wanted to make a groovy record, not a somber one. All the music I was making in that whole trip hop area was depressing and melancholy. I felt like I wasn’t expressing myself to my fullest.

You felt limited by the scene?
I just discovered that I could use my musical potential to be more positive and inspirational and more fun. I’m 21, I don’t want to go out on the road and be sad every night. So I wrote songs like “Hey Man” and “Turn off the Light.”

Now if you could only re-record the album in Portuguese…
That’s funny, because I really want to do a Portuguese language album in the next, maybe 5 years.

Half English, half Portuguese?
No, an entire album in Portuguese, but very experimental and progressive. I want to tap into the Portuguese culture, involving traditional church songs or secular music or really old folk songs and modernise them. I like the whole cross-cultural idea.

You recorded “Whoa, Nelly!” in L.A. Have you liked what you’ve seen of the city? Could you picture yourself living here?
Actually yeah, I live in Toronto now and I love it musically, but I miss the ocean and I’ve really been thinking about moving to California for a long time. I love the climate, and I’m always happy when I come here. Actually, that’s a lie.

Huh?
I mean when I was here I was making my album and I was real stressed out.

How so?
I was co-producing and writing it all and I couldn’t think of anything else. It was on my shoulders and no one else’s.

But that’s the way you wanted it.
For sure, there was no other way I’d do it. You know where we recorded it? Tarzana.

There’s a lot of local musical history there.
I knew it used to be the old Death Row headquarters. And we saw some interesting people around …

So you got out a bit?
I might have gone out twice while I was here. I would just come home from recording and watch MTV and do my laundry.

That’s it?
Well, some friends of mine came down from Vancouver and we went shopping on Melrose. I went to Mel’s Diner for greasy food and guilty pleasures. I like Chin Chin’s on Sunset, the Standard, Vita, and The Alley.

Anywhere you didn’t get to hit this time around?
I love Sharkey’s. They don’t have that in Canada or New York, and I love Jamba Juice. Guess who I saw at the Beverly Center – Fred Savage and the drummer from Rage Against the Machine. All within 5 minutes of each other.

At least they weren’t hanging out together.
Really!

Good star sightings, though.
That’s why I love L.A. I like seeing famous people walk around. You can be like “woo! woo!” Come to think of it, I think I love L.A.

You seem to have become more so enamoured throughout our conversation.
I bet you’re pretty impressed.

Hey, you’ve thrown out places I’ve never even heard of, and I was born here.
But here is my beef — There is nowhere to order food late at night in L.A. I’m a vegetarian so all we could get was cheese pizza, and even that stopped flowing around midnight.

Outside of California, how’s the tour been going?
We’ve already played over 30 dates here in North America over the last four months.

And how have the crowds been?
Good. We were on tour in August and it was really great.

How would you describe you show to someone seeing you for the first time?
My show is like a pop show combined with a hip hop show combined with a rock show in Rio Di Jinero. You’d enjoy it.

Sounds like you are well on the road to positivity.
(laughs) Hey, I’m all about spreading the love vibe.

Nelly On…

Musicians
Jack Johnson. He’s this independent surf musician who lives in Santa Barbara. He also makes surf movies with his friends.

Books
Someone gave me ‘The Diary of Frida Kahlo’ which is really good. I recommend that. I keep a journal and I love prose writing, especially the beat poets like Jack Kerouac and Jim Carroll.

Artists
Andy Warhol. I’m obsessed with artists. I think art is exciting for the artists, not necessarily the art sometimes. They live in the moment, kind of like fireworks, the ups and downs, turmoil, the highs and lows. I just find it all so passionate.

Film
I want to see Bamboozled, and the last movie I liked was American Beauty. My favourite film ever is Basquiat, but I also love ‘The English Patient.’

Relationships
I love my family more than anything. I see them two or three times a year and that’s not good. I’m 21 and I need the connection. Besides them, it’s hard to maintain a relationship, but maybe in the future I’ll be able to have something serious. But right now I’m just jazzed about the music, and, right now, its great to be free.

Style
I’m so connected to my style. I can’t walk into a room and hear someone tell me how to do my hair or what to wear. I think an artist has every right to dictate what they look like. It’s all about comfort, and it’s all about what feels right. The more people involved just makes things more complicated.

My Perfect Night
Get a bunch of friends, get some good microbrewery beer – Rainforest Pale Ale – and go down to the beach, have a bonfire and chill out under the stars. I would love to do that again – No, I am longing to do that again.

Bad Habits
I’m too stressed out. I need to enjoy the moment a little more – maybe a move to L.A. would help. And improve my posture. Maybe I should take yoga. Just work on me, you know what I mean? Work, work, work.

By Kevin Brent, Influx Magazine

Canadian-based, Portuguese-born singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado may be young–only 21–but her debut album, Whoa Nelly, sounds like the work of a seasoned pro. This shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise, since Nelly has been writing songs since she was 12 years old, plays various instruments (guitar, keyboards, ukulele, trombone), sings in several languages (English, Portuguese, Hindi), and has multiple diverse influences (everyone from Mary J. Blige to Jeff Buckley to Caetano Veloso). Judging from her answers during her October 25 LAUNCH online chat, Nelly, a former creative writing student, is wise beyond her years as well. Whether she was giving advice to aspiring musicians, discussing her Portuguese ancestry, contemplating the current state of top 40 radio, or reflecting on the heady experience of overnight success, her responses were always thoughtful, interesting, and from the heart. Here’s what she had to say:

launch_nelly_furtado: Hey everybody, thanks for coming to my chat. I’m excited. Let’s get started.

babygirl1971_99: How old were you when you first started performing?

launch_nelly_furtado: I was 4 years old the first time I sang–I did a duet with my mom on Portugal Day in church.

mel_baby_girl4: Are you happy that your music is being played on top 40 radio or where you hoping to attract a different type of audience?

launch_nelly_furtado: I feel that my record addresses all types of different audiences, because it’s so diverse. Right now the song being played on top 40 is “I’m Like A Bird.” But I also have another single out called “Party,” which is being spun at clubs. There’s a vinyl edition out right now, and it may be getting spun at college radio. I’m glad the record is going to mean a lot of different things to different people.

Sonyfish: You did great on the tonight show, will you be doing David, Rosie, and other shows?

launch_nelly_furtado: Thank you. Yes, I will be doing David Letterman on December 13, and we might be doing Saturday Night Live in January or February.

mel_baby_girl4: What is the song “Hey Man” about?

launch_nelly_furtado: “Hey Man” is the oldest song on the album; I wrote it three years ago. At the time, I was taking creative writing courses at college and I had just bought a guitar. I wrote that in my room in Victoria, B.C. I think the song is capturing a moment…I can’t quite explain it.

mel_baby_girl4: What is the song “… on the radio” about?

launch_nelly_furtado: Let’s return to that later.

Sonyfish: When you tour again, will you do clubs again or go for stadiums?

launch_nelly_furtado: Well, it depends on how well the record is doing (laughs). Right now, my next show is in Lisbon, Portugal. I believe it’s November 23. Then I have a bunch of Christmas radio shows in December. Then a show in England in January and a REAL U.S. tour in January/February. It will probably not be stadiums, though one day they would be fun to try.

safari_cutie: tell nelly its ashley her friend (little ashley) and ask her if she well ever do a tour in vancouver

launch_nelly_furtado: Hi Ashley! How are you? Thanks for keeping up to date on all the Nelly news. Say hi to your family for me. I am hoping to play Victoria or Vancouver in December, because we have a radio show in Seattle, so we hope to swing by there.

fatbra89: Did you want to be something else other than a singer?

launch_nelly_furtado: Well, my second passion is creative writing, which I studied at school. I would maybe like to return to university one day. I like to follow my heart; there’s all different kinds of ways I like to express myself. Basically, with all my decisions, I have used my gut instinct, so I am going to see what comes up and make my decisions accordingly. I only like to do things I really care about.

LyndseyLaunch: How old are you and what is your sign?

launch_nelly_furtado: 21. I’m a Sagittarius, turning 22 on December 2.

ropich: Do you still play trombone?

launch_nelly_furtado: No, I haven’t played in about three years. I would like to start again–I miss it a little bit–but I think it’s helped me with my singing, such as in “Baby Girl”–pada pada ching!

mel_baby_girl4: What did you do on the day of your cd release?

launch_nelly_furtado: You’ll be very disappointed in me. I actually celebrated a few nights earlier on the Jay Leno show, Friday and Saturday night, because some friends were visiting from Vancouver and my band was in L.A., so we watched the show and celebrated. Tuesday I just chilled out by myself and sang on two radio shows in San Jose and San Francisco. Then I bought my album for $8.99–what a deal–at Virgin Mega. One lady recognized me and she bought my CD.

lovegrowsdeeper: Hey Nelly, w’sup? How important is success in the industry to you?

launch_nelly_furtado: I don’t know. Success to me has already happened to an extent, because I already have fans that understand what I’m about and appreciate my music. Even with all the acclaim I’m getting from the press, it’s the connection with the fans that I feel at my shows and reading my e-groups and website that really touches me and makes me feel successful, because that’s the thing that’s real.

killabigthrilla: so where are you from originally?

launch_nelly_furtado: I was born in Victoria, B.C., Canada. My parents were born in the Azores Islands, specifically from Sao Miguel. They are a group of nine islands 900 miles off the coast of Portugal, so that makes me first-generation Canadian. Yet I have lived in Toronto for the past three years. I speak English and Portuguese, and a tiny bit of Spanish, too.

mista1313: ARE YOU COMING OUT WITH A FULL LENGTH PORTUGUESE ALBUM

launch_nelly_furtado: I would love to come out with one. I promise that I will come out with one in the next five years. That’s really important to me; I have a project in mind. There’s a lot of things I didn’t touch on in Whoa Nelly, even though it sounds pretty international. I want to delve even further into my Portuguese history and use other influences, such as folkloric songs and famous church melodies, and maybe incorporate some other cultural styles, such as Indian and Brazilian. When I sing in Portuguese, I feel in my element, and an important part of my personality, as a singer, is the Portuguese-singer side of me.

safari_cutie: are u ever going to sing in ur home town and VICTORIA MISSES YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

launch_nelly_furtado: Hopefully, I will back in December, it’s not confirmed yet. I miss Victoria, too.

mel_baby_girl4: What is your favourite song on the album?

launch_nelly_furtado: My favorite song is “Sh-t On The Radio.” To me, it describes my entire album Whoa Nelly. It kind of addresses what I was feeling when I was making the record. I think that because I’ve been making music for so long for my own interests, that when the opportunity came around to record a pop record with a major label, I was faced with all sorts of fears. Then I realized the songs I was writing were coming from me, and there was nothing wrong with them, and I shouldn’t be afraid to express myself. I think it addresses in a way about having my song played on top 40 radio. I’m making pop music, but I don’t have to fit under the pop umbrella. I don’t have to fit under one category, as I did when I was a trip-hop artist. Now I’m a Nelly artist.

babygirl1971_99: If you were a cartoon character whom would you be?

launch_nelly_furtado: Betty Boop or something, or the Road Runner. Or Garfield, cause I’ve always wanted to be a cat and sleep and eat all day.

clints_teddy_bear: Hi Nelly My Question is Do You Have A Bf

launch_nelly_furtado: No, currently single. (laughs)

mel_baby_girl4: Who are your musical influences?

launch_nelly_furtado: They range so much. The first type of music that I was totally infatuated with was hip-hop and R&B. I would listen to everything from Bel Biv DeVoe to Salt N’ Pepa to Mary J. Blige, Ice-T, and LL Cool J. Then I discovered rock influences like Radiohead, the Verve, Oasis, and Smashing Pumpkins. Jeff Buckley has been one of my biggest influences. More recently, a big influence has been Caetano Veloso, a Brazilian artist. And I was just listening to Ani DiFranco on the plane, the Not A Pretty Girl CD.

lovegrowsdeeper: how’s it feel to hear your own s… on the radio? (and clubs?)

launch_nelly_furtado: The first time I heard “I’m Like A Bird” on the radio was in Toronto, and I had to get up really early in the morning so I was in a bad mood. Then I heard my song and it obviously cheered me up. Last week in L.A., KROQ played “Sh-t On The Radio.” I was driving in the car and it sounded great. I was happy for the rest of the day.

puppypawzzzzz: Do you play any instruments?I play piccollo

launch_nelly_furtado: In the past I played ukulele and trombone. Currently, I mainly play guitar, but I play keyboards in the studio and I like to program bass lines and stuff in the studio.

LyndseyLaunch: what would you say has shaped your life most?

launch_nelly_furtado: Probably just my Portuguese identity and going back to the Azores as a child, experiencing the culture, learning the language. I think it’s made me proud, open-minded. Also coming from a working-class background shaped my identity in a huge, positive way.

puppypawzzzzz: Are you ever going to have fans in one of your videos?

launch_nelly_furtado: Well, I really liked Limp Bizkit’s “Break Stuff” with all their fans, and so I think it looks like a good idea. I might just have to do that. Maybe an exclusive concert or something and tape it.

ricardoferreira2000: Hey Nelly! You coming to Karen and Oscars this weekend? They r having a Halloween party. And how r u?

launch_nelly_furtado: I wish I was. Karen always manages to have way more fun Halloweens than I do. I’ll probably wind up packing or something. I always have boring Halloweens, except for the time we all dressed up like black cats and went around in the red van.

Sonyfish: Someone just asked me if I’d started a fan club for you… do you know for sure if someone working for you DID start one? If they didn’t please let me know.

launch_nelly_furtado: There’s an address on my CD that is my manager’s P.O. Box where you can send fanmail. There is nothing official, really. Please leave messages, I read them.

killabigthrilla: Hey, would you date a fan?

launch_nelly_furtado: Electric or paper? (laughs out loud)

lovegrowsdeeper: You’re album was already circulating in MP3 before the release date? How do you feel about that?

launch_nelly_furtado: I don’t think my whole album is on Napster yet, but if it is, it’s beyond my control. I think Napster is positive and negative at the same time. It’s great that people can share music online. I think it’s good for music, because artists that would go unheard-of can have an audience online. On the other hand, a CD is a pretty good deal, I’d say. My CD is only $8.99 at Virgin Records!

Sonyfish: Have you had any extremely memorable experiences while touring?

launch_nelly_furtado: I think just getting on the tour bus for the first time, because it had been a dream all my life. Getting on a bus, with a book, travelling to the next place. Meeting fans has been great, too.

lovegrowsdeeper: is nelly short for noella?

launch_nelly_furtado: No, just Nelly. Nelly Kim Furtado. I was named after a gymnast.

safari_cutie: Nelly, have ur parents seen u do a live performance ?

launch_nelly_furtado: My parents have only seen me on TV, doing Leno and Mike Bullard (Canadian TV host).

michelfr_2000: I understand that you became *very* famous in a *very* short time… How are you dealing with it, and what’s the one thing about being famous you had NOT foreseen?

launch_nelly_furtado: That’s why I want to come to Vancouver and play a show. They loved what they’ve seen so far, especially my video, which is getting spins on Much Music. I’m not famous yet, kid. (laughs out loud) I hear that once my video gets on heavy rotation, that’s when the real weirdness will start. I guess I have to wait and see.

killabigthrilla: If you could see a concert, standing in the front row, who would you choose to see?

launch_nelly_furtado: It would be Amalia Rodrigues, Jeff Buckley, or Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

pacheco_nelson: to prove this Nelly what was the other name for the red van???

launch_nelly_furtado: The Dodge Caravan–the Portuguese Mafia Mobile. I hope I didn’t get it wrong.

killabigthrilla: Whats your advice t someone who wants to get into the business too?

launch_nelly_furtado: My advice is to realize that every opportunity that comes your way is coming for a reason, because you never know what could come from them, so don’t fear opportunity. Also, make music that you love, that comes from your heart. If you make music you love, other people are bound to like it, too. Constantly seek out other musical people, because you will learn something from every musical experience.

angelbeautybabe: If you would organize a tour like lilith fair who would you invite

launch_nelly_furtado: Jill Scott, Kinney Starr, Esthero, Dido, Ani DiFranco, Mary J. Blige, Marisa Monte, Caetano Veloso, Beck, Cornershop, Incubus…and the list goes on and on.

Blunt_48: Hey Nelly! My favorite cut off the album is the song *On the radio*. I was just wondering what yours is?!?!?!

launch_nelly_furtado: It is mine too, but I also like “Party.”

star287: What do you think of such pop artists as Britney Spears?

launch_nelly_furtado: Wait! I would also put Asian Dub Foundation on the tour, and Beth Orton, Elliott Smith, the Verve, and the New Deal. As for Britney, I don’t know. I guess there’s an audience for every artist out there.

SweetLaoAngel: Do you write your own music?

launch_nelly_furtado: I do, I write all my songs, and I co-produced the record. I have been writing songs since I was 12 and recording since I was 16. I have lots of unreleased material. As much as I can have at the age of 21…heh heh.

mel_baby_girl4: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

launch_nelly_furtado: I will either be making a record or touring. I guarantee that at least my second record will be out. (laughs) I have plans for album number two, musically. I do love Whoa Nelly, and I hope you like it, too.

lovegrowsdeeper: Are the songs you write about ACTUAL personal experiences? or just feelings and ideas?

launch_nelly_furtado: A lot of the songs are about personal experiences, but a lot are feelings, too. I don’t think I ever write narratively, except for “Trying To Find A Way,” but that’s like a Beat poet song. I like to flow.

star287: What’s your biggest career goal and how do you plan to achieve it?

launch_nelly_furtado: One of my biggest goals is to have a stage show that really represents what I’m about, completely. I want to really dream up something surreal, beautiful, and exciting in the immediate future.

ropich: Any songs that you would you like to cover?

launch_nelly_furtado: There’s a song by Prince called “Power Fantastic.” I would love to know from fans what they would like to hear covered at shows. I am looking for something from early-’90s R&B world. Hip-hop. Something unpredictable. Put it on the website message board at www.whoanelly.com or www.nellyfurtado.com. I am really excited that now the record is in stores and that people who buy it will tell a friend. Even if radio or video doesn’t go as I want it to, I hope word of mouth will spread. Thanks for coming to the chat and making me smile. You guys are THA BOMB. I’m a lucky girl.

krystal_19_19 asks: What influenced you the most when making your new album “Whoa Nelly”?

Nelly Furtado: Oh my goodness! Probably old Brazilian records and different albums I liked at the time… everything from Cornershop to Caetano Veloso.

katc_5 asks: How long have you been singing?

Nelly Furtado: I’ve been performing since I was four, and singing since probably before then.

liljbm asks: Nelly, when are you going to get back on the road?

Nelly Furtado: Why? Have you seen my show??

krystal_19_19 asks: When are you coming to Toronto to perform?

Nelly Furtado: October 5 at the Phoenix.

krystal_19_19 asks: Where in Canada are you from?

Nelly Furtado: I’m from an island called Vancouver Island, and a city called Victoria.

zooey_franny asks: Hey, I got a free sampler with one of your songs and really like the Latin sounding beats!

Nelly Furtado: Thank you! You hear that all over “Whoa Nelly” as well as some of those heavy world influences. Glad you like it!

greasyfootlong asks: Is the name Nelly short for something else?

Nelly Furtado: No, it’s not. That’s it! Nelly Kim Furtado.

chuck_of_newyork asks: Hey Nell, do you consider yourself an antithesis to the current group of female pop singers like Britney and Christina?

Nelly Furtado: I’m like their nerdy twin sister who reads too much.

liljbm asks: Nelly when are you going to make a video for “I’m Like A Bird”?

Nelly Furtado: Oh, the video is done! You’re going to see it on TV in the next couple of weeks if all goes well. Request it!

krystal_19_19 asks: Who are your favourite singers/songwriters?

Nelly Furtado: Oh, I like Elliot Smith, Ani DiFranco, The Verve, Jeff Buckley as far as more traditional singer-songwriters go… but I like all kinds of music. Asian Dub Foundation is one of my favorite bands.

chuck_of_newyork asks: I must tell you that I am impressed with your music. It pushes the boundaries of pop and I wondered in one of your songs you talk of changing inflection, is that something you do on purpose to manipulate the listeners? I mean manipulate in the best sense really.

Nelly Furtado: You’re smart! Everything I do, if I change inflection… I think of the album as one huge piece and everything I do is to make the whole big thing work. I try to trick people but in a good way sometimes.

revolvingn asks: Are you upset about the timing of Nelly the rapper?

Nelly Furtado: I’m kinda glad. I think he’s the furthest thing from me–he’s male and a rapper. But I think it’s kinda like free publicity.

liljbm asks: Nelly how did the shows in Florida go? Did you get a chance to go out dancing in Miami?

Nelly Furtado: I wish! They whisked me at 1am after the Miami show! We had to drive from Miami to Orlando. But the club we played at — Power Studios — was great. Miami was packed and both had a good vibe,

twentytwofive asks: Are there any artists you’d really luv to see live someday?

Nelly Furtado: Yes. I still haven’t seen No Doubt live, Korn, Richard Ashcroft of the Verve live. I haven’t seen any of my favorite Brazilian stuff live like Caetano Veloso. I still haven’t seen Elliot Smith, Ani DiFranco… I’d love to see all of them. I saw the Deftones and Incubus over the summer and they were really good. That was fun.

chuck_of_newyork asks: Who are some of your favorite authors?

Nelly Furtado: Oh, my favorite author is Michael Ondaatje. I love Allan Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and this little Portuguese writer named Camoes.

chuck_of_newyork asks: How long did it take to write and record the album?

Nelly Furtado: It took in total… well, the oldest song is “Hey Man” and I wrote that about three years ago. But in recording, we were really intense for a year. Six days a week, 12 hours a day. It was a total process of two to three years really.

vala_entertainment asks: Nelly, what do you think about your online street team?

Nelly Furtado: I love my online street team! They’re the best! Hello everybody! Hello Joey! Thank you very much, I talk about the street team all the time! Hello Hello Hello!

pudge104 asks: How do you feel about being on Rolling Stone’s hot list?

Nelly Furtado: Oh, that’s kinda cool. But I’m even more excited about the review they wrote about my CD and my live show… but being called hot’s kinda cool. Thanks for voting! Hello Kyle! Thanks for the mix tape!

revolvingn asks: Who would you like to work with if you could join forces on a song?

Nelly Furtado: Hmm. I wanna work with DJ Premier. And I still think it would be fun to work with Eminem, Beck… Noel Gallagher of Oasis I’ve always wanted to write a song with… always!

tugal asks: When are you going to start singing in Portuguese? You have given young Portguese artists hope!!

Nelly Furtado: Aww. I already do sing in Portuguese… and my international release has an extra track called “Ondestas” which sounds like Madredeus. Viva Portugal! I’m going to be releasing my album in November in Portugal. I’m for sure going to record an album entirely in Portuguese in the next 2-3 years. It’s very important to me to talk about my identity… and you should too… keep singing and working hard! Check out my sister’s website: http://www.portugalunite.com. It’s got some really wicked information and resources on it. Parabens!

acius_drawflow asks: Who would you compare yourself to if you were explaining your sound to someone who hadn’t heard you?

Nelly Furtado: I usually say that it’s a pop record because I think the songs are hooky and catchy and follow a pop structure. But they are presented in a certain kind of way that involves world rhythms, and they have a hip-hop sensibility in the way I deliver my vocals and the beats. I also think that there’s a modern edge to the program because it’s a technologically friendly album. It’s a little hard to describe, but that’s okay ‘cos people tend to usually like it.

Sonyfish asks: Where can we get the words to “Whoa Nelly”?

Nelly Furtado: Actually, there’s a fan site called the Nelly MP3 something… it’s got MP3 in the title. If you are part of egroups, you can link on to the links and there’s a Nelly site called… on the homepage it’s me performing in Chicago. They’re the photos that Rolling Stone online took and it has all the lyrics to my songs. It’s Kyle’s site and if you’re there, then post the link. But guaranteed, if you check out the egroups site, they’ll hook you up with lyrics. ‘Cos the street team is thorough! Shoutouts to Joey!

eclecticchick81 asks: Nelly: I just wanted to say hi & that I saw you @ Ottawa’s FRESH Festival & I think you’re awesome live! Can’t wait for the album! Good Luck!!

Nelly Furtado: Thank you so much. I remember that show so well… it was my first real hour-long show ever. It was so awesome, it was rainy… thank you for coming to see me in the rain! Remember my orange pants??

chuck_of_newyork asks: Nell, you are different. I like that. I saw your video for “On the Radio” and in it you hold a guitar. I was curious as to whether you play guitar? I know you studied trumpet a bit. How has the technical training influenced or affected your music?

Nelly Furtado: My first instrument was the ukelele when I was nine and then I picked up the trombone and played in jazz band and marching band. So all that rhythm and percussion stuff in jazz band has given me a bit more agility in doing things with my voice. I picked up the guitar about three years ago. I wrote “Hey Man” on the guitar… a lot of my songs are written on the guitar. At the Lilith Fair, I played rhythm guitar. Knowing guitar is important to writing more solid songs and writing better bridges. But I don’t always write that way. Sometimes I just go into the studio and write a melody over the beat. I like to not limit myself… maybe I’ll write some songs with a xylophone for the next record!

acius_drawflow asks: What inspired “Shit on the Radio”? Are you predicting you will lose old fans when your music gets radio play?

Nelly Furtado: No, not necessarily old fans… I don’t know because the way it’s going I think we’re going with our most radio-friendly single. I made indie music for a long time, since I was sixteen. I was into trip-hop for a while, and I made a lot of underground stuff. I guess I had a circle of musician type friends… but I guess I didn’t think I really fit in because my stuff was a little more melodic, and not as cool… Someone once asked me what the biggest risk I ever took was and I think it was making this record. The song is very happy and rejoiceful… and I think people hear that and they can relate. It’s a very self-affirming song and I hope you like it, ‘cos it’s my favorite song on the record.

twentytwofive asks: What would you say is your most emotional song, and favorite to play live?

Nelly Furtado: Oooh… Oh, my favorite song to play live is “Party.” It’s totally the jam live. It’s the party jam. It’s like the song where we get to jam out and be really good musicheads. And there’s this really long timbali solo and I get to jump around a lot. I love performing it every night because it’s never the same every night and it’s challenging. That song just brings you to the right place every time. Emotional? “Scared of You” is a ballad and I sing in part Portuguese and by the end it creates a bit of an emotional thing. One of my singers tells me that I cry at the end of that one every night! All my songs are fun… it’s all good! You’ll be surprised when you come to the live show — it’s a whole other thing. I mean, the CD is high energy, but the live show is totally different. And I guarantee to invent a new dance move every night for “Party’s Just Begun”! What’s your favorite live song, if you’ve seen me play live?

revolvingn asks: What are you gonna be for Halloween?

Nelly Furtado: I was thinking of being like a scary geisha girl. Like back-from-the-dead geisha girl, crazy face paint, and a kimono and stuff… that would be the number one thing I can come up with now. But I don’t know… any ideas??

Sonyfish asks: Nelly, in the song “Hey, Man” what are you singing after “I don’t wanna ______”?

Nelly Furtado: I’m singing “I don’t want ambivalence no more.” I guess it’s hard to tell what I’m singing there.

revolvingn asks: Have you done any cover songs live? Which would you do if you could?

Nelly Furtado: You know, I’ve been thinking long and hard on plane rides and stuff, and everything’s gone through my mind; a Bell Biv Devoe song, old Mary J. Blige… I thought Pharcyde, “Passin’ Me By”… I want something that’s never been covered before. I know it’s out there… I just haven’t found it yet. Down the line, I’m gonna do a Prince cover… Destiny’s Child would be fun too…

twentytwofive asks: Yer live show was definitely amazing, and I could hear more of the Brazilian instruments than on the CD. Do think you’d put out a live CD eventually, maybe soon?

Nelly Furtado: I’d love to put out a live album. Just start harassing my record label. If everything goes well, I’d definitely like to put out a live album. I’m glad you like my live show so much, we worked really hard on it. We might add another vocalist or a DJ to fill out the sampling and round out the group… despite the fact that we have seven people on stage.

krystal_19_19 asks: What do you do for fun?

Nelly Furtado: I like running a lot. I’m in Victoria right now and I’ve been running every day. I like the fresh air and I’m always in cities that are so full of pollution. I like to write, I keep a journal. I also like a kind of Brazilian martial arts Ð Capoeira. I rollerblade… and… um, I’m boring really, boring! I like going record shopping and going to cool local music events. I went to Stirfry, this DJ jam session in Victoria, and I did some freestyling… that was fun. As far as deejays go, check out Lil Jaz, who scratches on my record!

Sonyfish asks: Nelly, will you have a fan club?

Nelly Furtado: Yes, please start me one! I hope so. I’m so happy with all the fans I have so
far, it’s so exciting. They have chats and I actually read a lot of the egroup messages. They’re so inspiring. They put a smile on my face every day. And then meeting people from egroups has been wicked, so come to my shows! Special thanks to everybody! Special thanks to egroups! Here’s a shoutout to Nick, thanks for the mix CD it rocks, and thanks for coming to all three of my shows! You’re a trooper! Hello to Ed and Dave! Hello to Joey; thanks for being my webmaster at egroups… and thanks! My videos are going to be out soon on MTV, MuchMusic, and maybe VH1. I’m confident about my record, so buy it and add it to your collection! Thanks for coming to the chat and hit my website and egroups and maybe I’ll start putting up some footage from the tour, and a tour diary. So I’m going to be playing Toronto, then a press tour in the States and then I’m going to Portugal and then touring in Germany! And then maybe I’ll come back and tour where people bought the most CDs! (j/k) So thanks to everyone, much love!