In 2006, Nelly Furtado released her third album, Loose. Alongside Beyoncé's B’Day, Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds, and big country debuts by Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, it went on to become one of the best-selling records of that year as well a career-defining album for the Canadian musician. Singles like “Promiscuous” and “Maneater” significantly altered Furtado's public narrative; until then she'd been known as a kind of heartfelt singer-songwriter, but began to be talked about in the hyperbolic, often patronizing tone reserved for pop stars who invoke their sexuality.But Loose was hinged on her magic chemistry with producer Timbaland, and set them both up as even more versatile artists than fans had previously understood. Ten years later, on the cusp of Furtado’s sixth album, The Ride, she gave The FADER the stories behind the making of the singularly compelling Loose. Before Loose, I remember being like, "Okay, I want to do a pop album." I wanted to prove to myself that I could be more streamlined. My first album Whoa, Nelly! — I feel like it took 18 months to record. [Producers] Track & Field and I were in the studio every day. Pro Tools kept crashing.
So I had lots of time to come up with interesting rhythms and melodies. It was really fun when I tried to play the stuff live, but I always thought it made more sense in a club environment. Then I did Folklore in 2003, and that was more of a fleshed-out, live band sound. I used Madonna's Ray Of Light as a template for Loose: she was smooth but sexy, universal, epic, iconic! Before I'd even stepped in a room with Timbaland, I already knew the name of the album would be Loose. It was actually Jimmy Iovine from my label, Interscope, that was like, "I think you and Timbaland should get together again!"
*thefader.com
Nelly Furtado - Maneater feat. Timbaland (DJ Freakiii Extended Mix) (06')
