The cavernous lobby of New York City’s Bowery Hotel is dark and practically empty. If a pin dropped, you’d hear it—and loudly. But at a discreet table near the back, Canadian pop singer Nelly Furtado is blasting her new music through my AirPods, and I’m stifling the desire to sexy-dance for the waitstaff.
Furtado plays two tracks from what will be her seventh studio album; her sixth, The Ride, came out in 2017. First, there’s the party-ready “Showstopper,” which nods melodically to Furtado’s 2006 hit “Promiscuous”; and then “Corazón,” another uptempo dance track, but this one sung in both English and Spanish. “The essence of the song is that we’re just out here living and trying to do our best,” Furtado says. It’s a club anthem in the making, sure (among its lyrics: “We lose control—that’s how we are”), but its meaning is clearly much deeper for Furtado. “Even when we make mistakes, it’s coming from the heart,” she continues. “When it comes from the heart, it’s never a mistake.”
Though it’s only been six years since Furtado released new music, it feels much longer. Google the singer, and you’ll find all kinds of deranged theories about why she’s “disappeared” from the scene. Yet her slowed output—compared to when she dominated the charts with hits like “Maneater” in the 2000s—has been keenly felt by fans; it’s precisely why they went absolutely wild when Drake brought Furtado out for a surprise performance at OVO Fest last year, where she sang “I’m Like a Bird” for the crowd. “I’ve thanked [Drake] for dragging me out on that stage, because I haven’t looked back since,” she says of the mini comeback. “I was a little hesitant because it had been so long. I was literally at the zoo with my two toddlers that morning.”
Motherhood has played a huge role in Furtado’s time away from the spotlight. Now a mother to three—a four-year-old son, five-year-old daughter, and 19-year-old daughter—Furtado has been focusing on raising her children while living a quieter life back in Canada. But at 44, she says she’s finally ready to make music again—and especially to make us all dance again. Case in point: Her new song “Eat Your Man” with Dom Dolla, which has a trippy, trance-like feel. “I want to inspire other moms and women out there that, even in their 40s, you can re-embrace your talents and go for it,” says Furtado. “Making music is the only thing that I’m really good at.”
Listeners of all ages certainly recognize Furtado’s greatness today. “Please come save the music industry, my queen,” one TikTok user commented on a video featuring “Eat Your Man.” Elsewhere on the app, Gen Z has discovered Furtado’s 2006 album Loose, largely produced by Timbaland, and sparked a whole “Nellysance”; interacting with a new wave of fans, Furtado says, has given her the confidence to finally return to the studio. “I tend to be quite humble, so the beauty of TikTok and the ‘Nellysance’ is me being able to put my humility aside for a moment,” Furtado reflects. “To acknowledge that I have some really big songs, that people love my music, and that I’m good at what I do.”
When can you expect her next album, exactly? Soon! But in anticipation of its release, Vogue caught up with Furtado about the inspiration for her new songs, the enduring influence of her Loose era, and her thoughts about the current pop landscape.
Vogue: Your new song, “Eat Your Man,” is your first in six years! What led to its creation?
Nelly Furtado: I had taken some time off after having kids, and I wasn’t in the studio or singing for about three years. But [last year], my manager asked me if I wanted to do a New Year’s Eve gig in Australia. I hadn’t played a show in six years, so I wanted to take that challenge on. I looked at the lineup and I saw this DJ named Dom Dolla was headlining. I was curious about him, and looked him up on Apple Music. I then asked my manager if he could send me some beats for the new album that I’m working on. Dom sent me a whole Dropbox folder, and we started exchanging voice notes and building a rapport. When I got to Australia, I even performed on his midnight set; we performed remixes of “Give It to Me” and “Say It Right.” After that, we got together again in his studio in Philly with my friends Anjulie [Persaud] and Jim [Beanz], who worked on Loose with me as the vocal producer. We all got together for four days in Philly and wrote a bunch of records. We actually wrote “Eat Your Man” in the car!
In the car?
Dom already had the beat. I think he was watching Blade or something, and he got the idea to make this dark, queen-of-the-dance-floor beat. We were listening to it in the car, and my friend Anjulie came up with the line: “I’ll eat your man, devour him whole!” The beauty of that is like, I would never reference [my song “Maneater”] myself, but it took one of my best friends to be like, “No, girl, fucking reference yourself!” Then we were like, let’s reference all the hits.
Why do you think this dancey, club-ready sound felt right for your new material?
I started off in electronic—not a lot of people know that. When I was 18, my world was going to raves and making trip-hop music in Toronto. In college one of my best friends, Mathew Jonson, went on to become a popular trance DJ in Europe, and we used to make trippy dance music in his apartment. When I met Dom [Dolla], he made me remember what I used to love about singing when I first started recording. I know my voice sounds good over beats, so it’s been fun to explore that again. The electronic world is totally different than the pop world. Trance, techno, and house music are very much about letting go; it’s about elevation and togetherness. There’s a primal feeling when you’re all together, dancing through the rhythm of the music. There’s also such a sense of community amongst DJs; I wanted to say thank you to the DJs for remixing my music over the last 25 years. I’m so indebted to DJs for keeping my music alive.
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How has it felt to see a whole new generation discovering your music?
It’s really blowing my mind. It first came to my attention when my oldest was 16. She was like, “Mom, ‘Promiscuous’ is trending on TikTok!” I didn’t even have TikTok on my phone. I was like, okay, what do we do? So we did a cute little video—I’m literally breastfeeding my son in it—and me and my daughter “battled” each other. When I went to Australia and got on that stage for the first time in six years, I also saw these 20-year-old girls singing every line to every song, and I really did trip out a little bit. I felt like I was in the year 2001!
Do you think taking time away from music has made you a better artist?
Totally. I’ve always admired Sade [Adu] for disappearing for a decade and then coming back. When you re an artist—a singer-songwriter—you’re sensitive; you’re an empath. You can’t keep churning it out. You get fatigued emotionally and creatively. I had to stop and really go through some real life experiences to be able to be where I’m at now—which is a fully grown-ass woman, just feeling like a lady boss. Living with no shame or apologies. I’ve made friends with some amazing moms who [are like] this—Li Saumet from Bomba Estéreo and Lido Pimienta. They’re my two friends from Colombia. I went to Colombia a year ago, and had this awakening being around these strong, kick-ass women who are not only mothers, but performers. I am a mother, and it is part of my identity, but I’m also the mother of my creativity and art. That also needs to be nurtured. Being an artist is my purpose. So I had to learn to let go of that guilt, which is very difficult as a mom. But you need to live the change that you would like.
Has motherhood shaped your new music at all?
There’s a survivor quality to it. I’m raising three kids, and I’m doing what I love, so you just want to set that example. You want to show your kids you’re passionate about something—I think it’s valuable. My oldest daughter is in the music business, in marketing, and we’ve actually written songs in the studio together. She’s really talented, and that’s motivating. When your kids are watching you, you’re like, I better stay at the studio till 7 a.m.
Let’s talk about the new music that you have on the horizon. You have an album in the works! What can we expect?
I worked on it a lot in Toronto; I’d just bring a bunch of people to the studio, and we’d jam till like 8 a.m. I have another song coming out this summer. It’s featuring Bomba Estério; it’s in Spanish and English. And I have a lot of other stuff that’s almost finished. I’m in the mixing phase right now. I’ve been working with a lot of really interesting females. I have a track with WondaGurl that I really love, and I have a really beautiful song with Charlotte Day Wilson. I worked with a lot of young new talent, too. There’s this young songwriter named Charmie that has been writing with me.
Would you ever work with Timbaland again?
Yeah! We have plans, for sure. It’s kind of funny because everyone I’m working with on my new stuff is a big fan of his—like T-Minus, who produced my new track. I actually talked to Timbaland recently, and we had this amazing two-hour FaceTime call. We were talking about when we made Loose, and getting into all these stories. He told me he loved how I sounded on “Eat Your Man.” It was nice to have his blessing on the new stuff, because Dom [Dolla]’s a really big fan of his as well.
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I love that your new song with Bomba Estéreo has Spanish in it. You’ve always been proud of your Portuguese heritage: why has that been important to you and your sound?
It was very natural. This song came out of this reawakening of self and community, after having met these beautiful Colombian goddesses who are kicking ass in the music world. It was important for me to remember who I am. I needed that boost of confidence.
Where did you record the song?
It was actually recorded in three different cities. Bomba Estéreo had a sold-out concert in Toronto, so I flew back from L.A. that day and made it to the show just in time. Afterwards. I was like, “Li, you have to come to the studio and record a verse on this track I did—and I want the whole band to come.” I got the whole band into an Uber with all their instruments—Colombian flutes, drums, and guitars. The big Uber didn’t come in time, so I stuffed them into a Suburu or something. We get to the studio, and I got tequila and chicken wings for everyone, and we just did it. About a month later, Li then recut her verse in New York City, and T-Minuis and I finished it in L.A. It was such a labor of love.
The pop landscape has changed a lot since Loose came out in 2006. Modern pop is often very emo and serious; I feel like there’s a need for fun, lighthearted dance tracks. What’s your take on the current landscape?
I agree. I have to remember that about my own music. You can take yourself too seriously as an artist; you can be like, I want people to know that I can play guitar and write really interesting [lyrics]. I did a whole indie album [The Ride] for that reason, because I wanted to show that side of myself. I needed to prove to myself that I could be an artist with credibility. But now, it’s been this crazy evolution where I’ve started to go out more in the last year. I had this whole inner-revolution. I was newly single again, going to concerts and clubs—whether it was a house party or a Gaga, The Weeknd, or Post Malone concert. I would hear my music playing in arenas before these concerts or in the clubs, and the beats sounded good. Something happened in that process where I was like, Wait a minute, don’t you get it? People want to party to your music. I realized I’m giving them a license to celebrate life, and to escape—and do that blissfully and happily. I was like, I want to do that again. I want to make people move, liberate, and dance.
When you hear your older pop tracks, do you look back on them differently?
[Recently], I was like, Damn, this song means a lot more now than years ago, when I wrote it. I feel like I’m more of a maneater at my age now; I’ve connected with it on a whole other level. Back then, it was more just like putting on a cape—but now, I’m living this. Sometimes, it can feel like karaoke. Like, I’ll sing “Promiscuous,” and I feel like I’m at karaoke—but it’s my song!
I’ve also noticed you’ve been upping your choreography. I love your TikTok dance videos.
I love choreography—I’ve always been a bit of a dance groupie—so I can use that hobby to my advantage, because it just makes my shows better. About two years ago, I found out I have ADHD, and at first it was overwhelming, but when I go to the dance studio, it totally keeps it in check. Through dance and movement, I can force my brain to be focused, and be the best version of myself.
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I also feel you’ve really cultivated your own sense of style recently. What are you into fashion-wise at the moment?
It’s been so joyful making costumes for my shows. I work very closely with my stylist [Marc Andrew Smith]; he’s so creative and passionate. We’ll either work with local people to make the best costumes we can, or he’ll send a costume to three different countries to have it made perfect. I’ve been wearing a lot of Ottolinger. There’s this designer in Spain called Syndical Chamber, and they’ve been making me bodysuits for the stage. He makes his own fabric and it’s beautiful. My favorite shoes are by Bottega [Veneta], because they fit me perfectly and they’re comfortable, and Amina Muaddi. I also love Off-White, Dion Lee, Marine Serre, and Mugler. I wear a lot of Marine in the studio because it’s so comfortable. I also love the fun bodycon pieces from [Jean Paul Gaultier].
Do you think your style has changed since you became a mom?
I m having more fun now! It’s weird. I always knew that I would have a glow-up in my 40s, and I did! Now that I’m 40, I’ve realized one thing about myself: When you have the right pieces in your closet, you can actually dress spontaneously and not plan what your outfit is. I love fashion. I grew up in a fashion family of tailors and seamstresses, so we grew up wearing our Sunday best. Portuguese culture is very much about festival culture—you have to dress up for Festa and turn it out. [Even today], if my mom doesn’t like something I wore, I’ll hear about it.
Was there ever a time in your career where you had to fight to be in control of your image?
For my very first music video, “I’m Like a Bird,” I was this 21-year-old girl, and the label was like, “You should wear a dress.” I was like, “Hell, no—I’m wearing Adidas shell toes, my big, baggy raver pants, and my hair’s gonna be in Princess Leia buns.” I had this intuitive knowledge that I needed to identify myself for my fans and stick to a look. I’ve been lucky that I’ve had a really supportive team around me and they always let me do my thing—even if I wasn’t making good choices.
We can’t wait to see what you wear in your new videos! What will you be up to in the meantime, for the rest of the summer?
Not to quote my own lyrics, but I’ll be “a supermodel and mommy—si mami.” The summer will be pretty busy! We just went to Mexico for the Machaca festival. It was my first show in Mexico in a long time; I was super excited to sing some of my Spanish material. Then we have a couple more shows in the summer, and I’ll make some appearances with Dom Dolla. And I’ll have more music coming out. It’s all lined up!
This conversation has been edited and condensed.
