Born: December 2, 1978
Place of Birth: Victoria, British Columbia
Major Notes:
Nelly Furtado is a popular Canadian singer-songwriter many regard as a talented multicultural musical artist.
She was brought up in a Portuguese family background and, over time, learned to speak four languages.
In addition, her family imparted a strong work ethic which became a positive trait in Furtado's musical career.
At an early age Furtado delved into music singing a duet in public with her mother at the local Portugal church.
Before long, she was learning to play several music instruments including the ukulele, saxophone, cello, guitar, and piano.
Furtado began writing songs at 12 while listening to artists in several different musical styles including Mariah Carey, U2, Madonna, and Jodeci.
While in high school, she participated in the school choir and the school band; after graduation, she moved to Toronto to gain further experience.
It was in Toronto that she was introduced to Gerald Eaton and Brian West with whom she worked to produce a demo and eventually her first album Whoa Nelly.
Furtado released the album in the year 2000 and one of the songs, I’m Like a Bird, became a huge international hit.
Not only that but this initial album earned Nelly Furtado four Grammy awards including Best Female Pop singer.
Furtado produced a multi-cultural sound which proved popular particularly on her third album Loose which sold several million copies.
For the above album, Furtado worked with the popular record producer and rap artist Timbaland.
She is a fan of the Brazilian musical sounds and her fourth album, Mi Plan, was recorded in Spanish.
Nelly Furtado has been nominated for and won many musical awards including the Juno Fan Choice Award and the Artist of the Year Award.
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