Nelly Furtado
Folklore

THE REVIEW

When Whoa Nelly, the debut album by the Canadian-Portuguese singer Nelly Furtado, was released, critics described her as a "little treasure chest of hidden gems"; indeed, her first work is a good album, as it merges the musicality and different cultures of the petite Furtado.

Folklore, born from the inspiration of a modern farmer wearing a Coca Cola shirt, is a heavy and cumbersome album, not due to the complexity of the lyrics, but for the lack of freshness and originality of the tracks.
If the first album can be considered a good debut, this Folklore cannot and should not be considered a sort of continuation, as the singer still has to work hard, still needs to find depth and experience, ultimately she still needs to grow and find her own musical language.
The idea of blending folkloric cultural traditions with pop musicality is undoubtedly interesting, and could even be successful if Furtado had opted for more original and unique songs, thus leaving aside the ethnic sounds that end up weighing down the entire work.

The only salvageable songs from the album are: "Powerless (Say What You Want)", a true anthem to life, built on the use of electronic and traditional instruments, like the strings of the Kronos Quartet, the banjo, and the mandolin; "Forca", the opening track for the European football championship, where Nelly Furtado talks about her love for the game; and lastly, "Try", a wonderful melancholic ballad, played on memories and regrets.

Despite the presence of great collaborators, such as Caetano Veloso, Bela Fleck, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Mike Einziger, and the aforementioned Kronos Quartet, the album fails to evoke emotions and stimulate the listener's imagination.