Nelly Furtado Biography

The Canadian singer Nelly Furtado was born in 1978 in Victoria, British Columbia. Nelly grew up influenced by the Portuguese family heritage and music, and by the time she was in elementary school, she was performing at various heritage events, often in Portuguese. By the time she was a teenager, Furtado had mastered a number of instruments, including guitar and keyboard. It wasn’t long before Furtado began to write her own music, and to seriously consider a career as a performer.

After graduating from high school, Nelly Furtado recorded a demo and began to shop it to various labels, eventually garnering the attention of DreamWorks Records. After signing with DreamWorks, Furtado released her first single, “Party’s Just Begun (Again),” which also appeared on the soundtrack for the film Brokedown Palace. Nelly’s debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, followed in 2000, spawning the hit singles “Turn off the Light,” “…On the Radio (Remember the Days),” and “I’m like a Bird.” The album earned Nelly four Grammy nominations, and a win for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Since that time, Nelly Furtado has released the additional albums: Folklore (2003), Loose (2006), Mi Plan (2009), and The Spirit Indestructible (2012.) The albums collectively have given audiences the additional hits:  “Powerless (Say What You Want),” “Try,” “Explode,” “Promiscuous,” “Maneater,” “Say it Right,” “All Good Things (Come to an End),” “Do It,” “In God’s Hands,”  and “Big Hoops (Bigger the Better.)” Nelly has also appeared as a guest artist on the hit singles: “Give It to Me” (with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake); “Broken Strings” (with James Morrison); and “Is Anybody Out There?” (with K’naan.)

Nelly Furtado has so far sold more than forty million albums and records worldwide, with two Grammy Awards and 10 Juno Awards. Furtado continues to perform and record, and has plans for another upcoming album in the near future.