Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado is a Canadian singer, songwriter and producer whose music connects pop, R&B, dance and Latin sounds, from “I’m Like a Bird” to Loose and 7.
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Latest
Nelly’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus her backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Overview
- Born
- December 2, 1978 · Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Work
- Singer, songwriter and producer
- Roots
- Portuguese family heritage
- Breakout
- Whoa, Nelly! (2000), featuring “I’m Like a Bird” and “Turn Off the Light”
- Recognition
- Grammy and Latin Grammy winner; Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, 2026
Mini bio
How it started.
Nelly grew up in Victoria in a Portuguese family, singing with her mother at community events. She learned ukulele and trombone, then found a place in Toronto’s music scene. Gerald Eaton and Brian West helped turn her early songs into demos that led to her DreamWorks debut.
The songs that opened the door.
Whoa, Nelly! arrived in 2000 with “I’m Like a Bird” and “Turn Off the Light.” “I’m Like a Bird” won the 2002 Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Folklore followed in 2003, drawing more closely on her roots.
Following her curiosity.
On 2006’s Loose, Nelly worked with Timbaland on a sound built around pop, R&B and dance rhythms. “Promiscuous” and “Say It Right” both topped the Billboard Hot 100. She then made her first Spanish-language album, Mi Plan, which won a Latin Grammy in 2010.
The latest chapter.
She wrote and co-produced 7, released in September 2024. In October 2025 she announced a break from performing. Her 2026 releases include new collaborations and a Loose anniversary edition with pianist Adam Tendler, alongside her induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Creditschronological, newest first
- 2026Torture of the HeartVocals and co-writer, with DVBBS
- 2026No Place Like HomeRecording artist, with Major Lazer and Davido
- 20247Singer, songwriter and co-producer
- 2009Mi PlanRecording artist
- 2006LooseSinger and songwriter; collaboration with Timbaland
- 2000Whoa, Nelly!Singer and songwriter
Awards
Quotes
At the core of performance is interpretation. To sing is to interpret.Nelly Furtado, Universal Music Canada
Discussing the acoustic Loose reinterpretations she recorded with Adam Tendler for the album’s 2026 anniversary edition.
Trivia
- Her first performance was a Portuguese-language duet with her mother at a church hall when she was four.
- She played in a Portuguese marching band as a teenager.
- Before her debut album, she performed at Lilith Fair in 1999.
- She launched her label Nelstar in 2009.
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