Nelly Furtado's debut, Whoa, Nelly!, drew from hip-hop, pop, soul, Brazilian and dance music, and the singer continues mashing up sounds on the follow-up, Folklore,while also exploring her Portuguese roots.
Unlike the overtly beat-friendly, melodic pop of the Whoa singles "I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the Light," Folklore, due November 25, views the world through a broader musical lens. Furtado recruited collaborators who reflect the more mature place she finds herself in life — two weeks ago she had a baby girl — including banjo star Béla Fleck, avant-jazz outfit the Kronos Quartet and Brazilian folk legend Caetano Veloso.
Of course, Furtado isn't going soft — Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger also appears on the disc — or avoiding the style that grabbed the public's attention. Her first single, "Powerless (Say What You Want)," mixes the dancing plucks of a banjo with the old-school breakbeat from Malcolm McLaren's "Buffalo Gals." The in-your-face lyrics serve as a cultural critique of sorts, with Furtado singing, "Paint my face in your magazines/ Make it look whiter than it seems/ Paint me over with your dreams."
Furtado co-produced Folklore with Track and Field, the same production team who helmed Whoa, Nelly!
Track listing for Folklore, according to DreamWorks:
- "One-Trick Pony"
- "Powerless (Say What You Want)"
- "Explode"
- "Try"
- "Fresh Off the Boat"
- "Forca"
- "Saturdays"
- "Picture Perfect"
- "The Grass Is Green"
- "Build You Up"
- "Island of Wonder"
- "Childhood Dreams"
