Whoa, Nelly! Explained

Whoa, Nelly!
Type:	studio
Artist:	Nelly Furtado
Cover:	Nelly Furtado "Whao, Nelly!"2.jpg
Border:	yes
Alt:	On a white background, Furtado lies on the grass on her side, looking at the camera. "Nelly Furtado" is written in 60s-inspired forest green capital letters, and "Whoa, Nelly!" in smaller, light-blue capital letters.
Caption:	Standard edition cover
Released:	October 24, 2000
Recorded:	1999–2000
Studio:	The Gymnasium Iguana Studios McClear Digital Studios (Toronto, Canada) Can-Am Studio (Tarzana, California) Metalworks Studios (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)
Genre:	Pop trip hop worldbeat rock
Length:	47:06
Label:	DreamWorks
Producer:	Gerald Eaton Brian West Nelly Furtado Jon Levine
Next Title:	Folklore
Next Year:	2003

Whoa, Nelly! is the debut studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado, released in North America on October 24, 2000 by DreamWorks Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1999 to 2000. It peaked at number twenty-four on the US Billboard 200 chart, and received critical acclaim. It produced four singles: "I'm Like a Bird", "Turn Off the Light", "Shit on the Radio (Remember the Days)", and "Hey, Man!". The album spent seventy-eight weeks on the Billboard 200, and hit double-platinum status in the US in January 2002.^[1]

After the release of the album, Furtado headlined the Burn in the Spotlight Tour and appeared on Moby's Area:One tour. According to Maclean's magazine, Whoa, Nelly! has sold 5-6 million copies Worldwide as of 2006. The album also caught the eye of record producer Timbaland, who later signed Furtado to his record label.^{[2] [3]}

Composition

Whoa, Nelly combines elements of a large number of genres. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic states that "much of the record sounds like folk-pop tinged with bossa nova" and describes the songs as "blends of pop, folk, dance, and Latin". According to Heidi Sherman from Spin "Furtado takes on mainstream urban pop, alternative folk, R&B-soul, and Brazilian samba on Whoa, Nelly!".^[4] Billboard notes that "Nelly Furtado sees no reason for separating rock guitars from pop melodies from R&B/hip hop beats from effervescent bossa nova". Other articles on Billboard describe Whoa, Nelly as a trip-pop and worldbeat/rock album.^{[5] [6]}

Critical reception

Whoa, Nelly! was well received by critics for its eccentric, yet intriguing instrumentations as well as Furtado's vocals. It currently holds a score of 79 from Metacritic. Slant magazine called it "a delightful and refreshing antidote to the army of 'pop princesses' and rap-metal bands that had taken over popular music at the turn of the millennium." The sound of the album was strongly influenced by musicians who had traversed cultures and "the challenge of making heartfelt, emotional music that's upbeat and hopeful."^[7] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave a positive review while commenting that "Furtado is a restless vocalist, skitting and scatting with abandon, spitting out rapid repetitions, bending notes, and frequently indulging in melismas." and also stating that "Whoa, Nelly! unfolds as a rewarding, promising debut." Rolling Stone gave Whoa, Nelly! a positive review calling it a "wild-ass pop go-go, filled with songs that pursue adventure yet could still make the hit parades." Q listed Whoa, Nelly! as one of the best 50 albums of 2001.^[8]

As a result of critical acclaim, the album received four nominations at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony in on 27 February 2002. The album itself received a nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album, while Furtado herself was nominated for Best New Artist as well as Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "I'm Like a Bird", in which she won the latter.^[9]

Commercial performance

Whoa, Nelly! debuted with first week sales of 4,087 in the United States.^[10] It officially made its debut on the Billboard 200 at number 190 on the week of January 13, 2001.^[11] Due to the help of radio airplay, by the end of 2000 the album was now selling up to 12,000 copies per week; by the end of 2001 it was selling up to 55,000 copies per week. It eventually reached its peak at number 24 on the chart and is currently certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[10]

In Furtado's home country of Canada the album peaked at number two and is currently certified 4× platinum.

Track listing

All tracks produced by Nelly Furtado, Gerald Eaton and Brian West, except for "Well, Well", which is produced by Furtado and Jon Levine.

Samples

• Hey, Man!" contains a sample from "White Man Sleeps (Second Movement)" by Kronos Quartet.
• "My Love Grows Deeper" (Part 1) contains a sample from "Stride With Ease" by Jeff Tyzik.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from AllMusic.^[12]

• Nelly Furtado – lead and background vocals, acoustic guitar, songwriting
• Field – bass guitar, acoustic guitar
• Track – tambourine, background vocals, quica, shakers
• Curt Bisquera – drums
• Lil' Jaz – turntables
• Johnny "The American" – electric guitar
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• Rick Waychesko – trumpet, fluglehorn
• Mike Elizondo – bass guitar, double bass
• Victor Rebelo – percussion, berimbau, shaker
• Camara Kambon – piano
• Martin Tillmann – cello

• James McCollum – guitar
• Russ Miller – drums
• Allan Molnar – vibraphone
• Brad Haehnel – shaker
• Roberto Occhipinti – bass guitar
• Luis Orbegoso – congas, toms
• Joe "Public" Allen – trumpet
• Nuno Cristo – guitar
• Alex Rebelo – rhythm guitar
• Daniel Stone – udu, shaker, triangle
• Martin Tillmann – cello

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2000–2002)!scope="col"

Peak position
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)^[13]	37
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[14]	95
Portuguese Albums (AFP)^[15]	4

Year-end charts

Chart (2000)! scope="col"

Position
Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)^[16]	82
Chart (2001)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[17]	16
Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)^[18]	9
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)^[19]	59
European Albums (Music & Media)^[20]	33
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[21]	46
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[22]	78
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[23]	26
UK Albums (OCC)^[24]	26
US Billboard 200^[25]	51
Worldwide Albums (IFPI)^[26]	20
Chart (2002)	Position
Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)^[27]	131
UK Albums (OCC)^[28]	117

Release history

Region! scope="col"

Date	Label	Edition(s)	Ref
Canada	October 24, 2000	Universal Music	Standard	^[29]
United States		DreamWorks		^[30]
Japan	November 22, 2000	Universal Music		^[31]
Asia	February 19, 2001			^[32]
Australia
Europe				^[33]
United Kingdom	March 9, 2001			^[34]
United States	May 20, 2008	Geffen	Special	^[35]
Canada	May 27, 2008	Universal Music		^[36]
Europe	May 30, 2008			^[37]
Various	October 23, 2020		Expanded

Notes and References

1. Web site: RIAA. https://web.archive.org/web/20070626051113/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS. dead. Recording Industry Association of America. June 26, 2007.
2. Web site: Intini. John. Nelly Furtado: 'I'm not Mother Teresa'. Maclean's. August 25, 2006. September 18, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061004160847/http://www.macleans.ca/culture/music/article.jsp?content=20060828_132446_132446. October 4, 2006.
3. Web site: Five Rings To Rule Them All. Billboard. 24. Jen. Qilson. 1 August 2008. 17 September 2019. December 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211219172625/https://books.google.com/books?id=XFZj6BL4zl8C&q=nelly+furtado+folklore+2+million+worldwide&pg=PA24. live.
4. Web site: Nelly Furtado. May 6, 2020. Heidi Sherman. Spin. October 2000.
5. Whoa!': Furtado Takes Off 'Like A Bird'. Billboard. May 2, 2001. March 30, 2019. April 8, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190408010115/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/80651/whoa-furtado-takes-off-like-a-bird. live.
6. Album Forecast: Something Sound For Everyone. Jill Pesselnick. Billboard. September 16, 2000. March 30, 2019. December 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211219172626/https://books.google.com/books?id=fxEEAAAAMBAJ&q=whoa+nelly+worldbeat+rock&pg=PA60. live.
7. Web site: Nelly Furtado Biography. MapleMusic. May 27, 2006. November 23, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111123100037/http://www.maplemusic.com/artists/nfu/bio.asp. dead.
8. News: The Best 50 Albums of 2001. Q. December 2001. 60–65.
9. Web site: 44th Grammy Awards – 2002 . Rock on the Net . July 23, 2011 . June 22, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130622091630/http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2002/grammys.htm . live .
10. News: A Warbler Set Aloft By a Dedicated Flock; Patience Pays Off for Nelly Furtado's Team. 21 March 2002. The New York Times. 17 October 2020. October 21, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201021074128/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/21/arts/warbler-set-aloft-dedicated-flock-patience-pays-off-for-nelly-furtado-s-team.html. live.
11. billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2001-01-13
12. Web site: Whoa, Nelly!. AllMusic. September 13, 2019. July 11, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190711150155/https://www.allmusic.com/album/whoa-nelly%21-mw0000103677. live.
13. http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Nelly+Furtado&titel=Whoa%2C+Nelly!&cat=a finnishcharts.com – Nelly Furtado – Whoa, Nelly!
14. Web site: ネリー・ファータドのアルバム売り上げランキング. ja. Oricon. 9 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20121023175342/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/121248/ranking/cd_album/. dead. 23 October 2012.
15. Hits of the World. June 16, 2001. Billboard. 113. 24. 45. January 12, 2019.
16. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20040812032100/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/2000_1.html. August 12, 2004. Canada's Top 200 Albums of 2000. Jam!. March 24, 2022.
17. Web site: ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 2001 . . September 13, 2019 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100917081429/http://aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-albums-2001.htm . September 17, 2010 .
18. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20031212202406/http://jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/200-1_2001.html. December 12, 2003. Canada's Top 200 Albums of 2001 (based on sales). Jam!. March 26, 2022.
19. Web site: Dutchcharts.nl – Jaaroverzichten – Single 2001 . nl . Hung Medien . September 13, 2019 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120715005806/http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2001&cat=a . July 15, 2012 .
20. Web site: European Top 100 Albums 2001. December 22, 2001. 27 April 2020. Music & Media. 15. August 23, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200823190032/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/00s/2001/MM-2001-12-22.pdf. live.
21. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts . de . offiziellecharts.de . 24 November 2018 . May 9, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150509163958/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-2001 . live .
22. Web site: Årslista Album – År 2001. sv. Sverigetopplistan. Swedish Recording Industry Association. September 13, 2019. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140221163818/http://www.hitlistan.se/netdata/ghl002.mbr/lista?liid=83&dfom=20010001&navi=no. 21 February 2014.
23. Web site: Swiss Year-End Charts 2001. Swiss Charts. Hung Medien. September 13, 2019. de. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130729113038/http://swisscharts.com/year.asp?key=2001. 29 July 2013. dmy.
24. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 - 2001. Official Charts. September 13, 2019. June 3, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160603195218/http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-artist-albums-chart/20010107/37502/. live.
25. The Year in Music 2001: The Billboard 200 . . YE-32 . 0006-2510 . 113 . 52 . September 13, 2019 . December 20, 2014 . July 4, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140704121149/http://books.google.com/books?id=sBIEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA10 . live .
26. Web site: Top 50 Global Best Selling Albums for 2001. IFPI. https://web.archive.org/web/20081117003957/http://www.ifpi.org/content/library/top50-2001.pdf. November 17, 2008. February 1, 2023.
27. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20040906184132/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/200-2_2002.html. September 6, 2004. Top 200 Albums of 2002 (based on sales). Jam!. March 23, 2022.
28. Web site: UK Year-End Charts 2002. UKChartsPlus. April 10, 2021. December 24, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121224204334/http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2002.pdf. live.
29. Web site: Whoa Nelly!: Nelly Furtado: Amazon.ca: Music . Amazon.ca . 2012-01-12.
30. Web site: Whoa, Nelly!: Nelly Furtado: Music. Amazon.com. 2012-01-12. March 5, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305030730/http://www.amazon.com/Whoa-Nelly-Furtado/dp/B00004Z41Q. live.
31. Web site: Nelly Furtado – Whoa, Nelly! (2000, CD). www.discogs.com. December 19, 2021. December 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211219172701/https://www.discogs.com/release/5902930-Nelly-Furtado-Whoa-Nelly. live.
32. Web site: Nelly Furtado – Whoa, Nelly! (2001, CD). www.discogs.com. December 19, 2021. December 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211219172630/https://www.discogs.com/release/764238-Nelly-Furtado-Whoa-Nelly. live.
33. Web site: Nelly Furtado – Whoa, Nelly! (2001, CD). www.discogs.com. December 19, 2021. December 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211219172638/https://www.discogs.com/release/5477127-Nelly-Furtado-Whoa-Nelly. live.
34. Web site: Whoa Nelly: Nelly Furtado: Amazon.co.uk: Music . Amazon.co.uk . 2012-01-12 . November 11, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141111100904/http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whoa-Nelly-Furtado/dp/B00004Z41Q . live .
35. Web site: Whoa Nelly (Spec) (Exp): Nelly Furtado: Music . Amazon.com . 2012-01-12 . December 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211219172629/https://www.amazon.com/Whoa-Nelly-Coll-Ed-Rm/dp/B0017V7HVG/ref=sr_1_9?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1286051213&sr=1-9 . live .
36. Web site: Whoa Nelly! (Coll. Ed) (Rm): Nelly Furtado: Amazon.ca: Music . Amazon.ca . 2012-01-12 . December 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211219172705/https://www.amazon.ca/Whoa-Nelly-Coll-Ed-Rm/dp/B0017V7HVG/ref=sr_1_9?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1286051213&sr=1-9 . live .
37. Web site: Whoa! Nelly (Special Edition): Nelly Furtado: Amazon.de: Musik . Amazon.de . 2012-01-12 . December 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211219172720/https://www.amazon.de/Whoa-Nelly-Coll-Ed-Rm/dp/B0017V7HVG/ref=sr_1_9?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1286051213&sr=1-9 . live .