Nelly Furtado

Born in Canada to Portuguese parents, Nelly's eclectic range of early influences included playing trombone in a marching band, becoming obsessed with Oasis and joining a hip hop duo. Debut album Whoa, Nelly! (2000) showcased that melting pot of styles, taking her sweet harmonies and mixing Latin rhythms, R&B smoothness and folk melodies to produce the worldwide hit singles I'm Like A Bird and Turn Off The Light. Her second attempt Folklore (2003) failed to build on that success, but when she teamed up with producer Timbaland for album number three, a sexy new pop minx was born. Shredded of innocence and injected with throbbing club beats and hushed seductiveness, Loose (2006) topped the US album charts and produced the hit singles Promiscuous and UK Number 1 Maneater. In 2009 she lived up to her claim of being a "multicultural artist" by embracing her Latin roots and releasing Spanish language album Mi Plan.