Nelly Furtado Spreads Her Wings . . . Again

Inspired heavily by early ‘90s R&B slow jams, the Canadian singer/songwriter’s new album is by turns sensual, confident and uplifting.

Nelly Furtado The Ride (Nelstar Entertainment / 10th Street Entertainment)

The record was largely produced by Grammy-winner John Congleton (celebrated for his work with Blondie, Goldfrapp and Erykah Badu, among others). For The Ride, he beautifully highlights the vocalist’s tender, romantic side while also providing space enough for her to spread her wings — “like a bird,” if you will. On the lead single and video “Pipe Dreams,” Furtado turns her traditional sound completely on its head — crafting a gospel ballad reminiscent of Prince that demands attention. Lyrically, Furtado takes listeners on a tour of emotions, detailing the highs and lows of love and fame. Though some Furtado fans prefer those big thumping, Timbaland-produced throwdowns like “Promiscuous,” “Maneater” and “Say It Right,” even they should be able to appreciate that The Ride provides the perfect playlist for a glorious afterparty.