Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado (born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She has sold 20 million albums worldwide.Furtado grew up in Victoria, BC, Canada, and currently resides in Sarnia,Ontario. [citation needed] Furtado came to fame in 2001 with the release of her debut album Whoa, Nelly!, which featured her breakthrough Grammy Award-winning single "I'm Like a Bird". After becoming a mother and releasing the less commercially successful Folklore (2003), she returned to prominence in 2006 with the release of Loose and its hit singles "Promiscuous", "Maneater", "All Good Things (Come to an End)" and "Say It Right". Furtado was born on December 2, 1978, in the city of Victoria, British Columbia to Portuguese parents, Maria Manuela and António José Furtado, both immigrants from Portugal's Azores archipelago. Her parents were born on São Miguel Island and immigrated to Canada in the late 1960s. Her siblings are Michael Anthony and Lisa Anne. Furtado has a strong connection with Portuguese culture. At age four she began performing and singing in Portuguese. She was named after Soviet gymnast Nellie Kim. Raised in a Roman Catholic home, Furtado first sang at the age of four when she performed a duet with her mother at a church on Portugal Day. Although remaining unclear about her religious beliefs, she still affirms a belief in God, the Ten Commandments, and in avoiding the Seven Sins. She began playing instruments at the age of nine, learning the saxophone, cello, and, in later years, the guitar and keyboards. At the age of 12, she began writing songs, and as a teenager, she performed in a Portuguese marching band. Discography2000: Whoa, Nelly! |
