Furtado’s global breakthrough hit with Timbaland spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard HOt 100, following the release of the singer's acclaimed 2006 album, Loose.
Two decades ago, Nelly Furtado scored her first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
Five years after her debut on the chart, the Canadian hitmaker and all-star producer Timbaland struck a chord with “Promiscuous,” released on April 25, 2006, as the second single from Furtado’s third studio album, Loose.
Written by Furtado, Timbaland, Timothy "Attitude" Clayton and Nate "Danja" Hills, the track instantly became a standout, going on to become one of the album’s biggest hits and a key pillar in shaping Furtado’s career.
Inspired by the push-and-pull of a romantic relationship, the playful track emulates a conversation between a man and a woman who call each other promiscuous. Fusing sounds of R&B and hip-hop, Furtado and Timbaland engage in a sexually charged verbal back-and-forth that raises the temperature with each verse. It was her major breakthrough outside of Canada, but still had some nods to her home country — including a lyrical nod to Canadian basketball star Steve Nash, who won back to back NBA MVP awards in 2005 and 2006.
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In North America, “Promiscuous” gained momentum throughout the spring and led into the summer. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 on May 20 at No. 64, reaching the top less than two months later on July 8, 2006.
It was her third charted single on the Hot 100 and her first entry since 2001, with “I'm Like a Bird” and “Turn Off the Light,” the former of which marked Furtado’s debut entry on the Hot 100. “Promiscuous” was the first No. 1 by a Canadian female artist on the Hot 100 since 1998's "I'm Your Angel" by R. Kelly and Celine Dion.
Amidst the warm weather, the track became ubiquitous on the radio, dominating airwaves and clubs across the continent.
It marked a sonic departure for Furtado, who had previously leaned into a more indie-pop, singer-songwriter sound. “Promiscuous” celebrated women’s sexuality and the importance of choice in a relationship, which was a bold statement for a female artist during a time when Y2K-era music was often centred on the male gaze.
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The music video — directed by Canadian director Little X, now known as Director X — proved to be a hit too, premiering on the famed MTV music show, Total Request Live, where it reached number one after spending 21 days on the countdown. In her home country, it aired on MuchMusic's Countdown, reaching No. 1 on the July 28, 2006, ranking.
That December, "Promiscuous" won best pop single of the year at the Billboard Music Awards and was nominated for best pop collaboration at the Grammy Awards in 2007.
Furtado’s club hit was released one year before the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 was introduced in 2007, but it’s a sure bet that the track would’ve made a major impact on the chart in her home country, given its success.
“We felt like something magical was happening. You don’t experience that every day in the studio,” Furtado said in a 2006 interview. “But when that real, gut instinct of something magical happening in the studio happens, it’s really special. And I think we really hit those marks on this album.”
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Loose became Furtado’s first No. 1 album on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, debuting at No. 1 on July 8, 2006, and remaining at the top for four weeks. It only spent one week at No. 1 on the Billboard U.S. 200. Loose was her second top 10 album in Canada, joining 2001’s Whoa, Nelly!, which peaked at No. 2.
"Promiscuous" wasn’t her only No. 1 in the U.S. The following year, Furtado went on to score two more U.S. chart-topping hits. “Say It Right” reached the top spot on the February 24, 2007, chart, while Timbaland’s “Give It To Me,” featuring Furtado and Justin Timberlake, spent two weeks at No. 1, peaking on April 21, 2007.
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Over 20 years later, "Promiscuous" is still reaching a new audience. At the top of the decade, it had a resurgence following a viral TikTok trend, landing on the Billboard Global 200 in October 2020. On streaming, it’s still one of a handful of Canadian hits in Spotify’s Billions Club, including Magic’s laid-back 2014 hit “Rude,” which spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, too.
While Furtado has taken a break from on-stage performances for the foreseeable future, her impact across the music industry is still palpable. Earlier this year, she was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame at this year’s Juno Awards with a star-studded tribute that featured Drake, Alessia Cara, Jully Black and more.
In Furtado's acceptance speech, she expressed her affinity for her home country. "I'm a product of the Canadian dream. I live and work here, I totally believe in Canada," she said.
