The reimagined version of the hit single is the first taste of the upcoming 20th anniversary deluxe edition of her chart-topping 2006 album Loose, out Sept. 4.
Nelly Furtado's Loose turns 20 this year, and she's celebrating
The British Columbia-born pop star has released "Maneater - RITUAL Version," a reimagined version of her 2006 hit single of the same name. It's the first taste of the upcoming 20th anniversary deluxe edition of her 2006 album Loose, a landmark record from the 2000s decade which became her first No. 1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart and the Billboard 200. Out Sept. 4, the expanded effort brings the original album to 28 tracks by adding three unreleased tracks made during recording sessions for the album, two unreleased 2024 recordings, four reimagined versions of hits from Loose and a secret demo.
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"Maneater" is the first of these reimaginations to see the light of day, putting a dramatic spin on the original pop track. Its seven-minute runtime is almost double the original, and it swaps Timbaland's production for a classical composition by Adam Tendler, driven by dark pianos and eerie chimes. Furtado's interpretation of the lyrics is more improvisational and vocally elaborate, which reflects the on-the-whim approach she took upon re-recording her massive hits two decades later.
“At the core of performance is interpretation," Furtado says. "To sing is to interpret. Being able to interpret my own repertoire, and the repertoire of others is my favorite part of singing. Choosing the cadence, notes, embellishments, and delivery of the voice is where freedom is found as a singer. My favorite approach to this craft is through improvisation. My four new recordings of songs from Loose allow me to find new resonance within the themes of the songs at this current stage of my life as I approach midlife. It was a pleasure to spend an afternoon with Adam Tendler as he provided the perfect, adventurous musical foil, as we journeyed on a one-take improvisational voyage and found new hymns and trances within the Loose 'canon.'”
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"Maneater" was just one of the hits that contributed to Loose's widespread success in the 2000s. While the track reached No. 60 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, it fared much higher in the U.S., peaking at No. 16. Today, it sits just shy of a staggering 1.3 billion Spotify streams. Loose also propelled two massive singles that topped the Billboard charts. The flashy duet "Promiscuous" with Timbaland became the Victoria native's first No. 1 in the U.S. and also topped the Billboard Canada CHR/Top 40 Airplay chart, while "Say It Right" reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2007.
Loose helped stamp Nelly Furtado as one of Canada's most iconic musicians, and its impact continues to be celebrated today. Earlier this year, Furtado was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 2026 Juno Awards, where Drake honoured her with a surprise pre-recorded speech, recalling how her own accolades and achievements gave him hope to eventually make it big as a Canadian artist. During her subsequent acceptance speech, the singer shared her immense pride in her home country.
"Honestly, I'm just really proud to be Canadian," Furtado said. "I live in Canada. I make my music in Canada and I work with Canadian musicians, songwriters, producers because I totally believe in the Canadian dream. Please believe it, too."
