Product Description
-------------------
In preparation for her new album, Loose, NELLY FURTADO tried out
collaborations with a who's who of producers, and she tried to
create a music more of the body than the mind. A prime example of
the latter is first single "PROMISCUOUS," a duet with Loose
producer TIMBALAND, known far and wide for his groundbreaking
work with, among others, MISSY ELLIOTT, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and
AALIYAH.
It stands to reason that gold and multiplatinum certifications
(for 2003's Folklore and 2000's Whoa, Nelly!, respectively), a
pair of Top 10 singles ("I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the
Light"), and a Grammy Award (for Best Female Pop Vocal
Performance), to name just a few accomplishments, would afford a
certain level of confidence. But nothing has inspired Furtado to
throw caution to the wind more than motherhood. "Motherhood makes
you fearless," she says. "The album is very youthful-sounding,"
Furtado continues, "and I think that's partly due to the presence
of this two-year-old in my life. I was with her all day every day
and then I'd go to the studio at night, and I think that
translated into a playful energy I feel onstage but that hasn't
really been heard on my records."
Starting with her longtime production team of Track & Field, she
also knew she wanted to check out a variety of producers.
"Working with new producers," she hazards, "is like trying on new
clothes - you never know what you look good in until you try it
on. And sometimes they will see something in you that neither you
nor anyone else could see." So she traveled with her daughter
from Toronto to London to work with NELLEE HOOPER; to Los Angeles
to work with LESTER MENDEZ (who produced, "Te Busque," her moving
duet with JUANES) and RICK NOWELS (co-writer and producer of the
gorgeous ballad "In God's Hands"); and to Miami to work with
PHARRELL WILLIAMS and SCOTT STORCH and finally, TIMBALAND.
Indeed, the raw, lighting-in-a-bottle spontaneity of the
collaborative process is at the heart of Loose. "This record
shows who I am in a jam-type environment, where I really feel the
excitement of the creativity flowing," Furtado reveals. "It's who
I am at my most artistic. I live for that, and I'm very grateful
to be able to share it."
.com
----
The buzz for Nelly Furtado's Loose began before the music was
even recorded, with the announcement that legendary hip-hop
knob-twirler Timbaland (Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake)
would act as co-producer. The question on fans' minds: what would
it sound like when a hip-hop kingpin collaborated with an artist
who culls inspiration not just from pop music, but also her own
Portuguese roots?
As it turns out, Loose incorporates a number of different styles
along its journey, but is--surprisingly--primarily divided
between '80s-influenced electronica and latin-infused pop. This
disc is very different from Furtado's previous CDs, a fact
immediately evident from track one, the new wave-affected
"Afraid." A strong opener, the song is the beginning of a 1-2-3
punch of uptempo, infectious dance floor beats. The second cut,
"Maneater," also proves to be incredibly catchy, but the verses
and keyboard sound too much like they were plucked from
electroclash artist Peaches' tree, and originality is lost. The
perfect summer pop song follows, the massive hit "Promiscuous,"
which features clever interplay between Furtado and Timbaland on
their sassy duet. From that point, Loose oscillates between the
Miami-affected sounds of R&B, Latino pop, and reggaeton
("Showtime," "Te Busque," and "No Hay Igual" respectively) and
the aforementioned '80s vibe ("Glow," "Do It"). Fans will hear
Furtado at her vocal best on "Say It Right" and "In Gods
Hands"--two of the most lyrically compelling tracks on the disc.
--Denise Sheppard
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Review
------
"On the single Promiscuous Furtado and Tim trade come-ons over
keyboard lines that recall Purple Rain era Price." -- Rolling
Stone, March 23, 2006
4 STARS! "She shades her Hollaback sass with erotic menace" --
SPIN, June 2006
From the Artist
---------------
"It's true that a lot of this record is about physical
attraction, but there's also a naive, almost childlike quality
about it," ventures Nelly Furtado. "Some of the lyrics remind me
of when I was 13, sitting in my room writing R&B ballads all day.
I've somehow returned to that place where I'm innocent about
love."
About the Artist
----------------
In preparation for her new album, Loose (Geffen Records), NELLY
FURTADO tried out collaborations with a who's who of producers,
and she tried to create a music more of the body than the mind. A
prime example of the latter is first single "PROMISCUOUS," a duet
with Loose producer TIMBALAND, known far and wide for his
groundbreaking work with, among others, MISSY ELLIOTT, JUSTIN
TIMBERLAKE and AALIYAH. "It's true that a lot of this record is
about physical attraction, but there's also a naive, almost
childlike quality about it," she ventures. "Some of the lyrics
remind me of when I was 13, sitting in my room writing R&B
ballads all day. I've somehow returned to that place where I'm
innocent about love."
It stands to reason that gold and multiplatinum certifications
(for 2003's Folklore and 2000's Whoa, Nelly!, respectively), a
pair of Top 10 singles ("I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the
Light"), and a Grammy Award (for Best Female Pop Vocal
Performance), to name just a few accomplishments, would afford a
certain level of confidence. But nothing has inspired Furtado to
throw caution to the wind more than motherhood. "Motherhood makes
you fearless," she says. "The album is very youthful-sounding,"
Furtado continues, "and I think that's partly due to the presence
of this two-year-old in my life. I was with her all day every day
and then I'd go to the studio at night, and I think that
translated into a playful energy I feel onstage but that hasn't
really been heard on my records." "This album shows me letting go
in so many ways," Furtado attests. "For example, with the track
'Promiscuous,' I co-wrote the lyrics--something I've never done
before--with this rapper from Alabama named ATTITUDE. That was
extremely freeing because it allowed me to experiment with
interpreting a character, which I then took into the video
shoot." Starting with her longtime production team of Track &
Field, she also knew she wanted to check out a variety of
producers. "Working with new producers," she hazards, "is like
trying on new clothes - you never know what you look good in
until you try it on. And sometimes they will see something in you
that neither you nor anyone else could see." So she traveled with
her daughter from Toronto to London to work with NELLEE HOOPER;
to Los Angeles to work with LESTER MENDEZ (who produced, "Te
Busque," her moving duet with JUANES) and RICK NOWELS (co-writer
and producer of the gorgeous ballad "In God's Hands"); and to
Miami to work with PHARRELL WILLIAMS and SCOTT STORCH and
finally, TIMBALAND. Indeed, the raw, lighting-in-a-bottle
spontaneity of the collaborative process is at the heart of
Loose. "This record shows who I am in a jam-type environment,
where I really feel the excitement of the creativity flowing,"
Furtado reveals. "It's who I am at my most artistic. I live for
that, and I'm very grateful to be able to share it."
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