andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Timbaland has always been known for big-star collaborations, and his upcoming studio album Studio Value II is no exception. The roster features an abundance of guests, with the biggest surprise being Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger.

According to chartattack.com, Kroeger, Drake, Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Chris Daughtry, Brandy, The Fay and Keri Hilson make guest appearances on Timbaland’s radio platform-spanning follow-up to 2007’s Shock Value, which is out Nov. 23 through Universal Music.

Furtado guests on the album’s first single, “Morning After Dark,” which will be available to buy on iTunes beginning this coming Tuesday (Oct. 27). Furtado previously guested on Shock Value, as did Timberlake and Hilson.

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With her first full length Spanish album Mi Plan debuting September 15, Grammy Award winning Canadian-Portuguese singer Nelly Furtado has already made it into the history books.

Manos Al Aire, the album’s first single, has pegged the no. one spot on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, which makes her the first North American artist to reach that feat with a song that was originally written in Spanish- and not a translated version of an English song.

The single is also a massive success internationally, grabbing the no. one spot in Italy, Colombia, Chile and Central America, while settling in the top five spots in Mexico, Spain, Argentina and Germany.

Known for her broad spectrum of musical interests, Furtado invited internationals artists Alejandro Fernandez, Josh Groban, Juan Luis Guerra, Julieta Venegas, La Mala Rodriguez, Buika and Alex Cuba to give the record a unique touch.

Furtado will also begin a promo tour for the album on September 13, which will take her to the top Latin and American TV shows across the U.S., as well as a visit to European countries such as Germany, France, Spain and England.

The artist has sold over 18 million albums in her career, with close to ten million in sales from her previous album Loose- which was the no. one global album in 2007.

I know what you’re thinking.

James Morrison

Since when do I rave more than rant? It appears that my admiration for certain figures in the pop-culture world outweighs my dislike for others. Odd but true. However, I assure you one thing:

It won’t last long.

But the reason for my back-to-back raves is due to one celebrity in particular—singer James Morrison (please note: not to be mistaken with Jim Morrison from ‘The Doors’).

James Morrison, the 24-year-old English singer-songwriter and guitarist, surely knows how to melt my heart. In 2006, his debut single “You Give Me Something” became a hit in Australia, Japan and Europe. His first album “Undiscovered” debuted at the top of the UK Album Chart and made Morrison the best selling male solo artist of 2006 in the UK.
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Nelly Furtado is sticking close to her multi-cultural roots and exploring creating music and lyrics that are laced with Portuguese and Spanish. Although Furtado has always been influenced by her background and experimented with Portuguese influences and Spanish lyrics in her 2003 Folklore album and her 2006 Loose project, she is now jumping into both languages with two feet and has proclaimed that she is diving full force into the language and music.

“I am currently recording two new exciting albums- one in Spanish and one in Portuguese,” Furtado reported on her website on Tuesday. “Stay tuned and I will give you a sneak peak really soon.”

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Nelly Furtado, Alanis Morissette and Rufus Wainwright make up the Canadian contingent in a live John Lennon tribute DVD that will be released next month.

“Come Together: A Night for John Lennon’s Words & Music” was filmed at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall Oct. 2, 2001, less than a month after the Sept. 11 attacks.

All proceeds from the event, which had been planned ahead of the attacks, were donated to 9/11 recovery efforts.

For the concert, performers were given free reign to reinterpret songs from Lennon’s catalogue.

Furtado teamed up with Dave Stewart for “Instant Karma,” Morissette covered “Dear Prudence” and Wainwright put his own spin on “This Boy” with Sean Lennon. The latter two also team up with Moby for “Across the Universe.”

As well, the 90-minute DVD features commentary from actors James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Steve Buscemi, Kevin Bacon and Kevin Spacey, who share their memories and speak about Lennon’s message of peace. Spacey contributes his own rendition of Lennon’s “Mind Games.”

Proceeds from the DVD’s sale will go to the Robin Hood Foundation.

Here are the performances featured on the “Come Together” DVD:

John Lennon, Yolanda Williams and Billy Preston — “Imagine”
Dave Matthews — “In My Life”
Stone Temple Pilots — “Revolution”
Alanis Morissette — “Dear Prudence”
Moby, Sean Lennon and Rufus Wainwright — “Across The Universe”
Cyndi Lauper — “Strawberry Fields Forever”
Marc Anthony — “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”
Shelby Lynne — “Mother”
Nelly Furtado and Dave Stewart — “Instant Karma”
Lou Reed — “Jealous Guy”
Natalie Merchant — “Nowhere Man”
Kevin Spacey — “Mind Games”
Craig David — “Come Together”
Sean Lennon and Rufus Wainwright — “This Boy”
Sean Lennon — “Julia”
Everybody — “Give Peace A Chance” / “Power To The People”

Juno and Grammy winner Nelly Furtado has another accolade to add to her list: the Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Conservatory of Music.

The organization announced Wednesday they were awarding the singer-songwriter its most prestigious award, which is given to artists who have made a lasting contribution to Canadian music and the arts.

Past winners include rock veterans The Tragically Hip, musical theatre actress Louise Pitre, jazz great Oscar Peterson, country-rockers Blue Rodeo and soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian.

Furtado will receive the award during the conservatory’s annual gala on May 28, where she will also perform a short acoustic set with guitarist James Bryan.

In a press release, the 29-year-old singer said she was “grateful and humbled” by the honour.

“Music has been both my saviour and statement since I was three years old,” she said.

In other Nelly news, Furtado recently re-recorded “In God’s Hands,” off her third album “Loose,” as a duet with country singer Keith Urban.

Nelly Furtado will mark the upcoming Earth Hour event with a free show in Toronto.

The Juno and Grammy Award-winning Victoria native has been named Canada’s first Earth Hour ambassador and will perform an unplugged concert at Nathan Phillips Square on March 29.

The World Wildlife Fund of Canada, who is organizing the event, says it will make the campaign as carbon-neutral as possible by taking steps such as powering the event with green, renewable energy.

Earth Hour, an effort to raise awareness about climate change, has cities around the world planning to turn their lights off from 8 to 9 p.m. on March 29.

The inaugural Earth Hour was held last year in Australia, where an estimated 2.2 million Australians took part to reduce demand on the power grid by 10 per cent.

This year, Canada is leading the way with more than 20,000 people, 1,000 businesses and 50 cities signed up so far.

Millions more are expected to participate around the globe.

At least if Nelly Furtado doesn’t win a Juno Award this year, she’ll still get a lot of camera time. The Canadian singer will host the awards, organizers announced yesterday.

Furtado will follow in the footsteps of former hosts like Shania Twain and the Barenaked Ladies when she grabs the mic on April 1 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

“The JUNO Awards are part of the Canadian fabric and to be asked to host is a privilege I’m charmed to accept,” Furtado said in a press release.

Furtado has five Junos under her belt and will probably be up for a few more this year, as her third CD, “Loose,” was the highest-selling album in Canada in 2006.

Performers and nominees will be announced at a press conference in February.

The Junos will air on CTV.

Nelly Furtado says she will be releasing a Spanish album in the future.

MTV.com reports that the Canadian songbird says she is in the middle of recording her Latin album, following in the footsteps of other artists like Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez.

“I’m in the midst of recording a Latin album. It’s like, ‘Wow, I’m writing a song in Spanish.’ It’s really bizarre, but really great,” she said to MTV News.

Furtado, from Portuguese descent, says she didn’t learn Spanish until she was 14. And while she has dabbled in Spanish on tracks on her different albums, this is the first time she has written songs in Spanish.

“I feel like a little kid again, because it’s a whole new language. And I can’t translate poetically yet. But Latin languages come easy to me,” she says.

Nelly Furtado is set to duet with Kylie Minogue.

The “Promiscuous” singer has been desperate to work with the Australian pop superstar for some time and talks are now underway to make the proposed collaboration happen.

Nelly said: “We’ve been chatting about it for a while. I can relate to her because she has this crazy work ethic like me.”

Nelly, 27, admires Kylie for having the courage to return to the stage after winning her battle with breast cancer.

She said: “I love the fact she went back and followed up her tour.”

Nelly first shot to fame in 2000 with worldwide hit single “I’m Like A Bird.”

After the release of her second album “Folklore” in 2003, Nelly took a few years off to raise her daughter Nevis, now three.

She returned this year with new album “Loose,” which includes the hit singles “Promiscuous,” “Maneater” and “All Good Things (Come To An End).”