Blogamole › Nelly Furtado

By Michael Lopez

We’re sure you get a lot of lucrative offers thrown at you when you’re a world-famous musician — offers to play lavish weddings, bar mitzvahs, or, if you're really famous, you may even get hired to give an intimate performance for a Libyan dictator! Beyonce, Mariah Carey and Nelly Furtado all gave private shows for controversial despot Muammar Gaddafi. And now, Nelly wants to donate the money she made to charity.

Furtado earned a cool $1 million doing a private performance for Gaddafi and his clan in 2007 at a hotel in Italy, and, according to her recent tweets, she isn't proud of it.

“In 2007, I received $1 million from the [G]adhafi clan to perform a 45-minute show for guests at a hotel in Italy. I am going to donate the money.”

One of the longest-serving dictators in history, Gaddafi has been the center of major controversy as he has responded to Libyan citizens' protests with violence and intimidation. He's also accused of participating in terrorist acts.

Obviously that inspired Nelly to give away the money she was paid by the Gaddafi regime. And Furtado is not the only one. Beyoncé also announced that she was donating the $1 million she made off the dictator to Haitian relief. That only leaves Ms. Mimi, who’s been surprisingly quiet on the matter. Let’s just hope her earnings didn’t all go to hubby Nick’s exorbitant birthday party.

Do you think Nelly and Beyoncé did the right thing? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Beyonce, Chisme, Gaddafi, Libya, Mariah Carey, Música, Muammar Gaddafi, Nelly Furtado, Politics

By Simone Hilliard

Last week, Pop star Pink confirmed she and husband motocross star Carey Hart are expecting! This is the first child for the couple!

Image : Getty Images

A source told UsMagazine.com:

"She's 12 weeks along. She wanted to do it between tours, when she has some time off."

Of course Pink and Hart's relationship hasn't always been this solid. La pareja married in January 2006, separated in early 2008, and then got back together in the spring of 2009.

The source also told Us:

"Pink was determined to make the relationship solid. Now she's really happy, and she's excited she got pregnant so fast! She'll be a brilliant mother."

While we're most certainly raising our glasses to Pink, there may be one more mami-to-be we should toast too. After performing at the Latin Grammy's last week, reports started circulating that Nelly Furtado may be expecting baby #2! The songstress graced the stage in a tight black dress that left very little to the imagination and seemed to expose a baby bump!

Babies, babies, babies! We're definitely on full bump watch! Felicidades a los dos!

Leave your well wishes for Pink and Nelly. Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Carey Hart, Latin Grammys, Nelly Furtado, Pink

By Michael Lopez

Seeing how the 11th Annual Latin Grammys were held in Vegas this year, it should have been fitting for us to place bets on all of our predictions. Because yes, our hand-picked favorites seemed to dominate the show! But what no one could have predicted were the flying acrobats, surprise duets, and outrageous outfits worn by this year’s performers.

Image: FilmMagic

Where to begin? How about with the big winners. As we suspected, Tr3s faves Camila took home Record Of The Year for Mientes. But they did surprise us with two more victories, for Song of the Year (sorry Enrique) and Best Pop Album by a Group. Newly single Mario Domm spoke about the win and didn’t seem too humbled by the experience,

"We wanted people to know that our first Latin Grammy wasn't an accident. We wanted them to know we're three people who give a lot of harmony to the universe; harmony that contrasts with the chaos of the world.”

Speaking of harmony, as we predicted, Nelly Furtado took home Best Pop Vocal for her Mi Plan album. Sporting a sexy black dress, she seemed very excited about the win. And we’re sure she was just as excited for her collaborator Alex Cuba, who won for Best New Artist (yes, we called that one too).

Additionally, Juan Luis Guerra picked up three more Latin Grammys for his work on A Son de Guerra and Alejandro Sanz was recognized for his excellent Paraiso Express album.

Now for the other fun stuff. Hosts Eugenio Derbez and Lucero kept the night fun and light. And our own fan fave, Prince Royce, shone like a star, crooning a “Stand By Me” duet with the original singer, Ben E. King! There were also Cirque du Soleil acrobats flying during Camila’s “Besame” performance and a JabbaWockeeZ dance to Nelly’s “Bajo Otra Luz.”

And how about the fashion statements of the night? Natalia Jimenez takes the cake there, with the multicolored beaded ensemble she wore during her Ricky Martin duet. J. Lo's shimmering brown dress caught plenty of attention and Mala Rodriguez went for a bright blue miniskirt!

Overall it was an incredible evening and we can only imagine the type of parties that went down afterward on the Las Vegas strip. Who knows, a few of them may even still be raging right now…

Source: [Reuters]

What did you think of the 2010 Latin Grammys? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Alex Cuba, Award Shows, Camila, Hot Stuff, Juan Luis Guerra, Las Vegas, Latin Grammy Awards, Latin Grammys, Música, Nelly Furtado

Las Vegas is abuzz with glitz, glam, and A-list music and talent as the 11th annual Latin Grammy's get ready to tape the all-star LIVE show Thursday (November 11) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

The event promises to be one big fiesta with veteran crooners and singer-songwriters joining a new generation of hip-hop artists and rockers.

Image: Grammy.com

Comedian Eugenio Derbez and actress Lucero will host the ceremony with Ricky Martin presenting the award for Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year to tenor Placido Domingo.

Leading the nominations include Uruguay's singer-songwriter and producer Jorge Drexler, Dominican legend Juan Luis Guerra, Spanish pop superstar Alejandro Sanz, and the Mexican soft rock group Camila. But who will emerge victorious? Here are a few predictions in some key categories!

Record Of The Year:
Only two artists are really in the running: Alejandro Sanz with the romantic "Desde Cuando" from Paraiso Express (Warner Music Latina) and pop trio Camila with "Mientes" from Dejarte de Amar (Sony Music). With a distinctive sound that blends Latin pop sensibility with contemporary R&B, Camila has managed to top charts region-wide and redefined the boundaries of good, commercial Latin pop. They'll win.

Album of the Year:
The healthy competition here includes two Latin Grammy favorites - Sanz and Juan Luis Guerra with A Son de Guerra (Capitol Latin). Tr3s' bet is on Guerra for an album that's both exquisite and loads of fun. But Camila may surprise with their utterly convincing set Dejarte de Amar, which may finally pave the way for a new generation to begin snaring this top award.

Song Of The Year:
Do Academy members vote with their ears or by name recognition? I mean, we all love Ruben Blades, but how many have heard "Las Calles" (RB Records)? Camila's "Mientes" is in the running and Sanz's "Desde Cuando" is not the best song on his album, but he boasts name power. But Enrique Iglesias' whimsical, evocative mega-hit "Cuando Me Enamoro" (Universal Music Latino), penned by Descemer Bueno and Iglesias, may have the best shot. The Latin Grammys have shunned Iglesias in the past, but here he performs with Guerra as a guest artist, which may break the jinx.

Best New Artist:
Never heard of any of the best new artist nominees? You're not alone. The stand out pick is Cuban-Canadian singer-songwriter Alex Cuba who has worked with the likes of Nelly Furtado. But we can't help but note that the nominations in this category failed to recognize other new artist successes, like Tr3s Favorite Prince Royce, Chino & Nacho and Ana Isabelle.

Best Female Pop Vocal Album:
Nelly Furtado is the certain winner with the very compelling Mi Plan (Universal Music Latino), an album that deserves to win out of sheer musicianship and star power. An unlikely upset could be seen from Kany García, such a fine singer/songwriter and Latin Grammy favorite, with Boleto de Entrada (Sony Music Latin).

Best Male Pop Vocal Album:
Although we could go on and on about the merits of Sanz or Joaquín Sabina, Marc Anthony's exquisite Iconos (Sony Music Latin) should win this category hands down.

Best Urban Music Album:
In a twist, this category has gone beyond reggaetón to include a wide array of urban music exponents, and that alone is a heartening and exciting thing. While Vico C. is always a critical favorite, his Babilla went largely unnoticed, paving the way for Daddy Yankee's Mundial (El Cartel/Sony Music).

Best Urban Song:
Lots of songs here, none of them memorable hits for a lifetime. We'll go with Yankee's "Descontrol" or Mala Rodríguez's "No Pidas Perdón."

Do you agree with our predictions?

The 11th annual Latin Grammy's will air LIVE tonight at 8pm EST!

Let us know who you think will bring home the trophies in the comments, or @MTV3.

Tags Alejandro Sanz, Camila, Daddy Yankee, Enrique Iglesias, Eugenio Derbez, Jorge Drexler, Juan Luis Guerra, Latin Grammy Awards, Lucero, Mala Rodriguez, Nelly Furtado, Placido Domingo, Ricky Martin

By Michael Lopez

For all who follow E3 and video games, the Xbox Kinect is primed to be one of the biggest “must-haves” of the 2010 holiday season. Rising to the top of the Kinect game offerings is the ultra-hyped "Dance Central," brought to us by MTV Games. Similar to “Dance Dance Revolution,” it will allow you to move and groove to tons of today’s hottest music hits.

One track that we’re particularly stoked about is Nelly Furtado's “Maneater.” C’mon, we’ve all danced to this one at the clubs, now imagine using it to compete for points against your friends!

Other songs include Pitbull's “I Know You Want Me,” Lady Gaga's “Poker Face”, and tons more.

With thousands of Tweeters already following every word, we have a feeling “Dance Central” is primed to be a major hit!

Kinect and “Dance Central” are set to hit shelves November 4th.

Source: [PR Newswire]

Are you excited about “Dance Central”? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Dance Central, Kinect, Lady Gaga, Música, Nelly Furtado, Pitbull, video games, Xbox

By Michael Lopez

Ever wondered what’s it like to be in the studio with Nelly Furtado? Luckily, Bajo Otra Luz collaborator Alex Cuba knows and he shared some insight when we sat down with him at last week’s Latin Alternative Music Conference.

The Cuban-Canadian singer-songwriter co-wrote more than half of the songs on Nelly’s new Mi Plan album, including the title track duet.

“Nelly is still in love with music," Alex said. "Every time we write something cool, she will jump! She will be so excited about it! It’s inspirational and I love it.”

Cuba has taken home Juno Awards (Canada’s highest music honor), collaborated with Corinne Bailey Rae, and mastered the art of jazz-fusion guitar. Sounds like pairing him up with fellow northerner Nelly Furtado was a match that was meant to happen!

If you’re a fan of Mi Plan (like most critics across the world are), take a moment to check out Alex Cuba. His 2009 Alex Cuba album has tons of funk/jazz/pop experiments and he’s even hitting the road this Fall, with September performances at La Zona Rosa in Austin TX and Anaheim California’s House Of Blues!

You can find out more tour details at http://www.alexcuba.com. For more from our interview with Alex Cuba, check out our LAMC Video Playlist!

(photo by Bashira Webb for MTV Tr3s)

Did you like Alex and Nelly’s duet on Mi Plan? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags 2010 LAMC, Alex Cuba, Nelly Furtado, New Musica, Video, Videos

By Michael Lopez

We were hyped enough about the behind-the-scenes action, and now Nelly Furtado’s brand new video "Bajo Otra Luz" is finally here! This is a video that really keeps you on your toes. It’s full of subtleties and sexy outfits that inspire multiple viewings.

In fact, we had to get a pen and paper to take notes on all the wild costume changes. Check it out and tally the fit switches below!

We know there were technically 20 costume changes, but we counted a total of 19. Ready for the check off?

Circus ringmaster, wolf, robot, bullfighter, clown, bunny, priestess, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, cop, devil, queen, fairy, viking, cave girl, medieval peasant, cowboy, Japanese kimono, and our personal favorite, Bjork!

Did we miss anything? Tell us in the comments! Props to Nelly on being able to make each one super sexy (yes, even the giant bunny). How much fun would it have been to be part of this shoot? Dancing through the alleys, striking poses…

We love it because it’s loose, casual, and playful Nelly Furtado at her absolute best. Plus, can you imagine the drinking game potential? Tequila shot every time the clown pops up!

What did you think of Nelly’s new video? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Bajo Otra Luz, MTV Tr3s, Nelly Furtado, Premiere, Videos

Team Blogamole is excited to announce that we've got a whole lotta Nelly on MTV Tr3s! Starting TODAY (June 24) at 5:30 PM ET, we officially kicked off "Qui & Ey w/Nelly Furtado"! This special 30-minute interview session is a treat for fans, leading up to the exclusive premiere of Nelly's video, "Bajo Otra Luz," on July 1!

Don't worry, "Qui & Ey w/Nelly Furtado" will air again on June 28 at 2:30 PM ET. We are also sharing a special 30-minute video block of Nelly's hits on Friday (June 25) at 1 PM ET and Monday (June 28) at 2 PM ET, along with the "Bajo Otra Luz" premiere on July 1! Are you as psyched as we are???

"Bajo Otra Luz" is the 3rd single from Nelly’s Spanish-language record, Mi Plan. The track features guest vocalist La Mala Rodriguez, who also appears in the video.

According to the video shoot team, "Bajo Otra Luz" was filmed in an alleyway in a part of Toronto called "little Italy." They filmed 20 costumes and had only enough time for 1 take per costume.

Going to the costume house was an adventure! The employees were giving tips and ideas about each look. Nelly actually dressed up in all the costumes, even the ones where you can't see her face. They told her someone else could dress in the costumes, but she said she would know the truth.... Now that’s a true artist!

Don't miss the exclusive MTV Tr3s premiere of "Bajo Otra Luz" on July 1, only on MTV Tr3s!

Tags Exclusive, Nelly Furtado, Premiere

By Sharmaine Jones

Pharrell of N.E.R.D. has taken the “No-one Ever Really Dies” mantra to the next level. Rocking fur in the summer heat for their latest video, "Hot-n-Fun," this bouncy track featuring Nelly Furtado has the boys bringing a party to the chaotic desert. Dehydration be damned! This tune is the first single from N.E.R.D.'s upcoming album, Nothing.

A “hypnotising baseline“ follows N.E.R.D. as they cruise the highway in a psychedelic whip. The trio (Pharrell, Hugo, and Shay) pick up hitchhiking ladies (who, based on their outfits, need some survivalist training) on their way to a party. Upon reaching their destination, there are more — you guessed it — barely-clothed women dancing around a bonfire (someone call Bear Grylls!). Add to that a few bars of Nelly Furtado singing “Hot n Fun”, “Look at You”, “Look at Me,” Pokemon-inspired cartoon drawings randomly flashed across the screen, and there you have it! Hot. Fun. We get it.

The video is pretty simple, which is a bit of a disappointment considering it was directed by Jonas Akerlund, the man behind Lady Gaga's “Telephone” and “Paparrazi”. Maybe he was just following orders — after all, Pharrell's lyrics ring true: “People dont think no more/they just want to feel/they want to let go.”

We just hope N.E.R.D.'s Nothing is about something! Nothing hits stores on September 7.

Source: [Yahoo! Music]

Is "Hot-n-Fun" really hot or all wet? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Hot-n-Fun, MTV Tr3s, N.E.R.D., Nelly Furtado, New Musica, Pharrell, review, Video

Nelly Furtado seems to get more and more gorgeous every day — take a look for yourself, as Furtado graces the July 2010 cover of FLARE Magazine.

For this sophisticated cover, Nelly Furtado wore a dress by Dolce & Gabbana. Gorgeous!

Read more...

Tags Flare Magazine, Julieta Venegas, Lifestyle, Mala Rodriguez, Nelly Furtado