I'M LIKE A BIRD. A HIP-HOP BIRD.

Nelly Furtado is repositioning herself in the music market - no more pop, now, she's decided, she's going to turn herself into an R&B star.

What's led to the change?

Well, besides pisspoor sales of her recent stuff?

It's getting back in touch with the real Nelly Furtado:

"For a long time I kind of denied my R&B and hip-hop roots.

"All that rap and R&B I listened to as a kid made an impression on me; I used to write R&B songs in my bedroom that sounded like Mariah Carey songs.

"Now I'm tapping into that again, and I'm like, 'Wow, I didn't know I could go back there.' It feels so good."

She's going to duet with Timbaland on the new album.

So, in short, then, her record label have encouraged her to chase the market. Isn't it lucky how the music she grew up listening to - but had forgotten all about - is the easiest market to crack these days?

music nelly furtado