Folklore is the second studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. It was released on 23 November 2003 through DreamWorks Records. While the album did not match the success of her previous album in such markets as the United States and Australia, it did however become a success in several European countries.[2] Folklore spawned five singles; Powerless (Say What You Want), Try, Força, Explode and The Grass Is Green. The album has sold three million copies worldwide.[3]
Background
The album's title was influenced by Furtado's parents' immigration to Canada, "When I look at my old photo albums, I see pictures of their brand-new house, their shiny new car, their first experiences going to very North American-type places like Kmart. When you have that in your blood, you never really part with it – it becomes your own personal folklore."[4] The album also displayed a diverse sound but with a more rock-oriented, acoustic approach.[5] Furtado attributed the mellowness of the album to the fact that she was pregnant during most of its recording.[4] "Saturdays" features vocals by Jarvis Church and "Island of Wonder" features vocals by Caetano Veloso.[6]
Folklore includes the single "Força" (meaning "carry on" or "strength" in Portuguese), which was written as the official anthem of the 2004 European Football Championship. Furtado performed the song at the championship's final in Lisbon, in July 2004.[7] Other singles included the ballad "Try" and "Powerless (Say What You Want)", in which she embraces her Portuguese heritage; the song deals with "the idea that you can still feel like a minority inside, even if you don't look like one on the outside".[4] Additional singles were released in certain territories; "Explode" in Canada and Europe, and "The Grass Is Green" in Germany.
Label change
It was announced on 11 November 2003 that Universal Music Group reached an agreement to acquire DreamWorks Records from DreamWorks SKG for "about $100 million".[8] The purchase came at a time when the music business was "going through major changes" as it struggled to "counter falling sales and the impact of unofficial online music sales". Mo Ostin, the principal executive at DreamWorks Records, said: "Despite the challenges of the music business today, Universal is acquiring a wonderful asset and the sale will assure the strongest possible future for our artists".[9] DreamWorks Records was folded into the Interscope Geffen A&M umbrella label in January 2004. Furtado's recording contract was then absorbed into Geffen Records.[10]
Critical reception
Folklore received mixed reviews from critics. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine stated that "[w]hile there are some interesting musical moments on Folklore -- enough to make it worth a listen -- the dogged seriousness and didactic worldview become a bit overbearing not long before the album is a quarter of the way finished, particularly since the fusion of worldbeat and adult alternative pop often seems heavy-handed."[12] Entertainment Weekly gave a positive review stating that "exultant music goes on its merry, multicultural way".[14] While Rolling Stone gave a negative review, calling Folklore "slick, multicultural hodgepodge" but "without a single as good as 'I'm Like a Bird.'"[16] As she focused more on the songwriting, rather "than on frenetically switching genres five times in one song",[4] BBC felt that it had "twice the originality" of her debut.[22] The AV Club wrote that while "few tracks on Folklore stand out, the album hangs together agreeably..."[23]
The album debuted at number eighteen on the Canadian Albums Chart with first-week sales of 10,400,[24] and at number thirty-eight on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 68,000 in its first week.[25] According to Nielsen SoundScan, it had sold 425,000 copies in the U.S. by August 2008.[26] It was not as successful as Furtado's debut album, Whoa, Nelly! (2000), partly because of troubles at DreamWorks Records and the less poppy sound.[22] It lacked promotion because DreamWorks was sold to Universal Music Group at the time of Folkore's release, and it spent only eleven weeks on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. In 2005, DreamWorks Records was shut down and many of its artists, including Furtado, were absorbed into Geffen Records.[27] Furtado said, "Why do Germans love this album? I think I figured it out: It's so cerebral. It's great in its own way, but that's a different side."[28]
Track listing
| 13. |
"Try" (acoustic) |
4:41 |
| 13. |
"Powerless (Say What You Want)" (alternative acoustic mix) |
3:49 |
| 14. |
"Try" (acoustic) |
4:41 |
Charts
Certifications
Release history
References
- ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Nelly-Furtado-Folklore/master/77182
- ↑ https://books.google.fi/books?id=1BMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA52&lpg=PA52&dq=nelly+furtado+folklore+germany&source=bl&ots=BeNIgRLfg8&sig=nRgcd-vncpUVQqOxtkfe56Y1-ZI&hl=fi&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwid76KdzoLOAhWIdCwKHQ5HCbM4ChDoAQgfMAA#v=onepage&q=nelly%20furtado%20folklore%20germany&f=false
- ↑ "Nelly Furtado". The Canadian Encyclopedia. 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 "Interview: Nelly Furtado". Interview. Retrieved 29 May 2006.
- ↑ "Folklore". Amazon.com. Retrieved 28 May 2006.
- ↑ "Nelly Furtado Folklore CD". CD Universe. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ↑ "Nelly Furtado Gets Her Kicks". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 9 December 2005.
- ↑ "UMG To Acquire DreamWorks Records". Billboard.
- ↑ "Universal buys Dreamworks Records". BBC News. 11 November 2003.
- ↑ "D'Works diskery reborn at UMG". Variety. 8 January 2004.
- ↑ "Folklore Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- 1 2 ""Folklore" Overview". allmusic. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ↑ Dorian Lynskey, Folklore - Blender Alpha Media Group, Inc. Retrieved 11-16-2010.
- 1 2 ""Folklore" Review". EW.com. 24 November 2003. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ↑ (Posted: 20 November 2003) Caroline Sullivan, CD: Nelly Furtado, Folklore | Music | The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 11-16-2010.
- 1 2 Jenny Eliscu (20 November 2003). ""Folklore" Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ↑ (Posted: 22 November 2003) Sal Cinquemani, Nelly Furtado: Folklore | Music Review | Slant Magazine Slant Magazine. Retrieved 11-16-2010.
- ↑ (Posted: 10 December 2003) Will Hermes, Nelly Furtado, 'Folklore' (DreamWorks) spin.com. Spin Media, LLC. Retrieved 11-16-2010.
- ↑ Edwards, Mark (30 November 2003). "Nelly Furtado - Folklore". The Times. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ↑ (Posted: 3 December 2003) Amy Linden, Bird of Many Feathers villagevoice.com. Village Voice, LLC. Retrieved 11-16-2010.
- ↑ Watson, Ian (8 December 2003). "Nelly Furtado - "Folklore"". Yahoo! Music UK. Archived from the original on 14 August 2004. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- 1 2 "Folklore". BBC. Archived from the original on 24 May 2006. Retrieved 28 May 2006.
- ↑ Murray, Noel (December 9, 2003). "Nelly Furtado: Folklore". AV Club. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Williams, John. "New Furtado stumbles on chart". Jam! Showbiz. 12 December 2003. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
- ↑ Dansby, Andrew. "Jay-Z Bounces Britney". Rolling Stone. 31 December 2003. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
- ↑ Caulfield, Keith. "Ask Billboard - Divalicious". Billboard. 8 August 2008.
- ↑ "Universal Music Snags DreamWorks Records". Blogcritics.org. Retrieved 29 May 2006.
- ↑ Anderson, Jason. "Bustin' Loose". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 June 2006. Retrieved 18 September 2006.
- ↑ "Nelly Furtado - "Folklore"". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ↑ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 19 January 2004" (PDF) (725). Pandora Archive. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ↑ Chartverfolgung - Furtado,Nelly (in German). PHONONET GmbH. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ↑ "Chart Stats - Nelly Furtado - Folklore". Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ↑ "Nelly Furtado Album & Song Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ↑ "Platinum Certifications". Cria.ca. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
- ↑ "Estimated album sales". Fanofmusic.free.fr. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
- ↑ "New Zealand Chart Facts". Rianz.org.nz. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
- ↑ "Portuguese Top Albums Chart". Artistas-espectaculos.com. Archived from the original on 10 December 2008. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
- ↑ "Switzerland certification". Retrieved 24 March 2007.
- ↑ "Platinum Awards Content" Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Nelly Furtado's sales on UK". Foro.univision.com. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
- ↑ ""Folklore" Certifications". Riaa.com. Archived from the original on 2 September 2008. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
- ↑ "Ask Billboard". Billboard.com. 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
- ↑ "Folklore by Nelly Furtado on Apple Music - iTunes". iTunes Store. 5 November 2003. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
- ↑ "Nelly Furtado - Folklore (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2003-11-23. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
- ↑ "Folklore: Nelly Furtado: Amazon.de: Musik". Amazon.de. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
- ↑ "Folklore: Nelly Furtado: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
- ↑ "Folklore: Nelly Furtado: Amazon.ca: Music". Amazon.ca. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
- ↑ "Nelly Furtado - Folklore (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2003-11-25. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
- ↑ "Folklore: Nelly Furtado: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
- ↑ "フォークロア (特別価格盤): ネリー・ファータド: 音楽". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
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