| 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."
|
Notes & Personnel Info |  | On her third studio album, LOOSE, Nelly Furtado largely abandons the bohemian vibe of previous outings, opting for an energetic, club-ready sound said to be influenced by the time she spent recording in Miami. The Canadian-born singer-songwriter approaches this significant change with wild abandon, as revealed on the sensual singles "Promiscuous," a remarkably catchy dance-pop tune that features Timbaland, and "Maneater," a leering, techno-tinged track. The percussive "No Hay Igual" finds Furtado delving into reggaeton, while "Te Busque" presents the soulful vocalist performing a melancholy duet with Colombian heartthrob Juanes. Though some Furtado fans may initially be perplexed by this dramatic sonic shift, repeated listens reveal the record's charms, particularly on the soaring, synth-laden opener "Afraid" and "All Good Things (Come to an End)," a thoughtful pop ballad co-penned by Coldplay's Chris Martin (who was once rumored to be her boyfriend). An unpredictable and assured album, LOOSE proves that Furtado can wander down unfamiliar stylistic roads and return with fascinating results. | | |
|
