50 Things to See, Hear and Do This Fall

On sale Sept. 15
Why would a Portuguese-Canadian singer with a series of massive American hits ("I'm Like a Bird," "Promiscuous") record an album entirely in Spanish? Writer's block. Nelly Furtado found herself stuck while trying to come up with new material, and a friend advised a linguistic switch. Furtado, who considers herself a not-quite-fluent Spanish speaker, collaborated with Mexican stars Alejandro Fernandez and Julieta Venegas on the album Mi Plan, but the single "Manos Al Aire" has all of her usual hallmarks: an energetic beat, a memorable chorus and a sense of optimism that transcends language.

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