The year 2000 was a good year in music for people named Nelly. We are all familiar with Nelly, the rap star who taught us all about “Country Grammar.”
At the end of the year, another Nelly came onto the music scene. This Nelly is a 21-year-old Canadian woman with a Portuguese heritage.
Even though she may have one of the worst titles for an album that I have ever seen, the music is quite good. Don’t let the silly album title fool you, this is pop music that you can actually take seriously.
You may have heard the catchy first single, “Like a Bird,” on the radio. The song is a refreshing change from much of the sound-a-like blonde teen queens that can currently be found on pop radio.
In her official press bio, Furtado says she has been equally influenced by artists such as Beck and TLC. Listening to her album proves this point. Whoa, Nelly is the perfect blend of funk, pop, world music, and the singer/songwriter mentality.
Standout songs include, “Legend,” which is one of the smoothest songs I have heard in a long time. The song flows in a great bossa nova style.
“My Love Grows Deeper Part 1” has a chorus that can easily get stuck in your head. The song is good that you don’t even mind that you are constantly singing it. Part 2 of the song will hopefully be released soon.
Since Furtado wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album, much of the same themes are present in all the songs. Because the songs are fun and easy to listen to, it’s not a problem to overlook that they are all similar in theme.
It’s a great debut album, which will hopefully be the first of many more to come from Nelly Furtado.
