Latin lady
Nelly Furtado’s ‘Mi plan’ showcases a new sound
Published: October 23, 2009, 12:30 am
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MIAMI — Nelly Furtado’s musical career has been filled with drastic changes. She started as a funky hip-hop/fusion phenomenon, soaring to success with her 2000 debut “Whoa, Nelly” and its Gram-my- winning hit “Fly Like a Bird,” then veered into a Brazilian- tinged world-beat detour.
She returned to the mainstream in 2006 with the bestselling, sexy pop hip-hop of “Loose.”
Now Furtado is back with a new sound and a new identity — Latin songstress. Her latest album is “Mi plan,” a pop-rock record filled with famous Latino guest stars. It’s an idea that’s been brewing for some time. The Canadian- born daughter of Portuguese immigrants, Furtado performed Portuguese songs as a child.
She recorded a hit duet in Spanish, “Fotografia,” with the Colombian rock star Juanes in 2002, and he returned the favor by guesting on one of two Spanish songs on “Loose.” (Furtado’s husband is Demacio Castellona, a Cuban-American sound engineer she met while recording “Loose” at North Miami’s Hit Factory/Criteria studios.)
“Mi plan” looks like a smartly calculated entry into the Latin music market. The first single, “Manos al aire (Hands in the Air),” released in early August, hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin radio chart. The album’s guest list includes Dominican pop-bachata idol Juan Luis Guerra, Mexican regional music heartthrob Alejandro Fernandez, Mexican singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas, Spanish rapper Mala Rodriguez, and her countrywoman, flamenco- jazz singer Buika.
But Furtado, a thoughtful musician who writes her own songs, found that working in Spanish invigorated her creatively, opening up a more personal and emotional style of songwriting.
“All these songs were inspired by me just living my life, taking two years off after the crazy schedule I had before,” says Furtado, sitting in a tiny vocal recording studio at Criteria, where she recorded key tracks on “Mi plan.”
“And being surrounded by the people that mean the most to you, your family. And then my music, which wasn’t giving me inspiration in English, but then I turned to Spanish and I am so inspired now,” she says.
Contrary to what the name implies, Furtado says “Mi plan” was anything but planned.
“My plan is really not to have a plan,” Furtado says. “As I get more life experience, I remember the real challenge is you can have plans, but they can change in a moment. A lot of little moments inspired this album.”
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