Superlatives
A Vulture series in which artists judge the best and worst of their own careers.
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
This article was originally published on July 19, 2024.
Nelly Furtados latest album,7, was released on September 20, 2024.
Its like we saw the beautiful freak in one another, she says of herwork with the producer.
It was a rare thing, to be with somebody who really vibes with you on that frequency.
Whittled down from around 500 songs, the record is a mix of up-tempo dance tracks and salsa-inspired rhythms.
Everything is shooting from the hip and tripping out in the unconscious and subconscious places when you make music.
Its not available on DSPs because the remix was just for radio.
And so it was just me, her, and an engineer in a studio.
I was thinking that I had to hit this out of the park.
I ended up kind of doing my signature sing-rap.
I had begun cultivating that in the late 90s, just experimenting with this vocal style.
And then after, I got invited by so many different rappers to do remixes.
That really changed my career trajectory.
Biggest change in the music industry
Starting out, I had a little trip-hop band in Toronto.
I moved there specifically for the music scene.
At the time, the Toronto scene was like the best-kept secret.
Everyone was making fabulous music here.
I love the music business right now because I think it really caters to my personality.
It just really allows you to be in the moment, to be spontaneous and go with it.
Id been exchanging messages with the DJ behind it, and he was really lovely and excited about it.
I also love allAltegosremixes.
Theyve remixed a lot of my records, and I want to explore remixing more.
And I remember being in London doing it.
I think thats when I was like,Okay,nowthis is a big deal.
Also, getting asked to doSaturday Night Livewhen I had hardly done any TV.
I was so nervous, but also in awe that they even asked me.
Best lesson from touring with U2
The gratitude.
I was 21 or 22 playing Slane Castle in Dublin.
And when I was at Slane Castle, that was the vision.
That was what Id been dreaming of.
Thats so meaningful when youre a young artist.
I was really grateful for that.
Actually, Ive kept those notes somewhere.
Ill have to find them.
Theres a DJ from the U.K. called Rain Radio.
It was like a top-40 hit in the U.K.
I love remix culture for that reason.
Take it and breathe new life into it.
Its almost like one of your children got rescued from an orphanage.
If it made him want to move his body a certain way, he would add another percussive element.
You see that music is in his bones.
I think thats why we relate.
Its like the musics in our ribs.
Its part of us.
It was really a departure.
But Timbaland had vocal producer Jim BEANZ, who I still work with to this day.
Tim knew I trusted Jim a lot.
I expressed my fears about it and he kind of pushed me over the line.
I think sometimes we fear whatever reveals the most about us.
I guess promiscuous is just a hot, hot word.
But for the girls, it was nothing new.
I mean, I grew up on Salt-N-Pepa, TLC.
But what I found surprising was that people felt like it was not authentic.
Deepest song
Oh, I would say the song about my father onFolklore.
Its called Picture Perfect.
Its a super-personal song.
It goes pretty deep.
Most surprising hit
Say It Right, because it was so weird.
I really have no idea what that song is about.
But I really think its almost an epic.
Its on some heros-journey vibe.
Theres some bang out of pathos in the song that I cant quite articulate.
Song shed most like to be remembered for
Only one song?!
Well, I want to say Im Like a Bird.
Its just happy and positive; its joyful.
Id be happy to just have that one.
Favorite bird
Thank you for asking.
Its strange and kooky, but I do really love birds.
I feel like I have a special connection to eagles.
The eagle is definitely, without question, my favorite bird.
