Nelly Furtado gets “Loose” with new sound
Chalk it up to a corporate merger, limited promotion or maybe just a record that was too different from her first — whatever the reason, Nelly Furtado’s last record tanked. Most artists would love to sell 400,000 copies of a record in the United States, as Furtado did on her second release, “Folklore” (DreamWorks), which hit stores in November 2003. But it was a disappointment compared with the sales of her 2000 debut, “Whoa Nelly!” (DreamWorks), which moved 2.4 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and featured the hit song “I’m Like a Bird.”
In part, the success of “Folklore” was affected by something beyond Furtado’s control — the sale of DreamWorks Records to Universal Music Group and subsequent merger. After the process was complete, she found herself on the Geffen Records roster — a label very enthusiastic about her new record, “Loose,” due June 20.
The first single in the United States, the urban-based “Promiscuous,” produced by hip-hop uber-producer Timbaland, is making an impact on radio, retail and the digital world.
For the week ending May 25, the single’s third week on radio, it charted in eight of the top 10 mainstream top 40 markets and at No. 9 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Pop 100 Airplay charts. At Apple’s iTunes Music Store, “Promiscuous” is the most downloaded song at press time.
“She’s one of those artists that bridges the gaps between urban and rock music; she’s very pop-oriented, yet has a rhythmic feel,” says Tracy Austin, program director of KRBE Houston, which is spinning “Promiscuous.” “And we ran out of Gwen Stefani to play, and I think this will pick up where that left off.”
