She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired debut album, Whoa, Nelly! (2000), which was a critical and commercial success that spawned two top-10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, "I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the Light". The first of the two singles won her a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Furtado's introspective folk-heavy 2003 second album, Folklore, explored her Portuguese roots. Its singles received moderate success in Europe, but the album's underperformance compared to her debut was regarded as a sophomore slump.
Furtado's third album, Loose (2006), was a smash hit and became her bestselling album, with more than 10 million copies sold worldwide, also making it one of the bestselling albums of the 2000s. Considered a radical image reinvention, Furtado continued to explore her Portuguese heritage while leaning heavier into hip hop. The album spawned four successful number-one singles worldwide; "Promiscuous", "Maneater", "Say It Right" and "All Good Things (Come to an End)".
She released her first Spanish-language album, Mi Plan, in 2009, which won her a Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album. In 2012, Furtado released her nostalgia-inspired fifth album The Spirit Indestructible. Furtado split with her management and went independent thereafter, releasing her indie-pop sixth album, The Ride, in 2017 under her own label Nelstar Entertainment.
She has won many awards throughout her career, including one Grammy Award from seven nominations, one Latin Grammy Award, ten Juno Awards, one BRIT Award, one Billboard Music Award, one MTV Europe Music Award, one World Music Award, and three Much Music Video Awards. Furtado has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame, and was awarded Commander of the Order of Prince Henry on February 28, 2014, by Aníbal Cavaco Silva, the then-President of Portugal.
Island of Wonder
Nelly Furtado Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it's already worn
The coffee is sour
And the shirt is torn
But the smile is bigger than the Atlantic sea
And it happens to bring out the Atlantis in me
Island of wonder
Is it the way the sun hits my face
Or is it your memory which I cannot trace
I cannot trace
Eu vejo mais ao longe
Pessoas sem fome
Com paces sangrando
Na vereda Florida
And the church bell dongs
A remarkable song
And I swallow the salt
As I hum along
The woman she laughs as I pass her by
In a patchwork (dream) I left behind
Island of wonder
Where do you come from
Is it the way the sun
Hits my face
Or is it your memory which I cannot trace
I cannot trace
Look at me I have so much pride
I took my shoes off I ran I did not hide
Look at me I have so much pride
I will give my dowry for the prize
Island of wonder
Where are you going
Nobody knows it
But it is snowing
In the hearts
And minds of every kind of universe, universe, universe
Island of wonder
Where are you going
Nobody knows it
But it is snowing
In the hearts
And minds of every kind of universe, universe, universe
The lyrics of Nelly Furtado's song "Island of Wonder" paint a vivid picture of a world that is both beautiful and difficult. The first stanza describes a man who appears to have weathered many hardships, with a wrinkled face and tattered clothing. However, despite his appearance, he still manages to wear a smile that is "bigger than the Atlantic sea." This smile is infectious, and prompts the singer to feel a sense of kinship with the man, bringing out the "Atlantis" in her.
The second stanza of the song introduces a feeling of longing and mystery. The singer wonders about the origins of the "Island of Wonder," and ponders whether it is the way the sun hits her face, or a memory that she cannot quite recall. The song transitions to Portuguese, where the singer observes people with bleeding feet on the streets. The church bell dongs, providing a stark contrast to the suffering that the people on the street are experiencing. The woman who laughs as the singer passes by provides yet another juxtaposition, as if to suggest that even in the midst of hardship, there can be moments of joy and levity.
Throughout the song, there is a strong theme of resilience and pride, with the singer taking off her shoes and running without fear. There is a sense of determination to hold onto hope even when things are difficult. Ultimately, the song reflects a universal longing for something better, and a belief that even in the darkest of times, there is a glimmer of light and possibility.
Line by Line Meaning
The man wrinkles his face
The man's face has many wrinkles and shows signs of aging.
But it's already worn
The man's face shows signs of wear or exhaustion.
The coffee is sour
The coffee tastes acidic or bitter.
And the shirt is torn
The shirt is ripped or damaged.
But the smile is bigger than the Atlantic sea
Despite the hardships, the man's smile is large and expansive.
And it happens to bring out the Atlantis in me
The man's smile reminds the singer of the mythical lost city of Atlantis.
Island of wonder
The singer is referring to a place of intrigue or fascination.
Where do you come from
The singer is wondering about the origins of this place.
Is it the way the sun hits my face
The singer wonders if it is the way the sun touches her skin that makes this place special.
Or is it your memory which I cannot trace
The singer wonders if it is a memory she has forgotten that makes this place special.
Eu vejo mais ao longe
This line is in Portuguese and translates to 'I see more in the distance.'
Pessoas sem fome
This line is also in Portuguese and translates to 'People without hunger.'
Com paces sangrando
This line is still in Portuguese and translates to 'With bleeding feet.'
Na vereda Florida
This line is still in Portuguese and translates to 'On Florida sidewalk.'
And the church bell dongs
The church bell is ringing.
A remarkable song
The song played by the church bell is noteworthy or distinctive.
And I swallow the salt
The singer swallows salt, perhaps indicating ocean air or tears.
As I hum along
The singer hums the church bell's song.
The woman she laughs as I pass her by
A woman laughs as the singer walks by.
In a patchwork (dream) I left behind
The singer left behind a patchwork or a dream upon leaving this place.
Look at me I have so much pride
The singer is feeling confident and proud.
I took my shoes off I ran I did not hide
The singer ran without hiding, perhaps indicating a sense of freedom.
I will give my dowry for the prize
The singer will give all of her money for the reward or fulfillment.
Where are you going
The singer is again questioning the destination of this mysterious place.
Nobody knows it
No one knows where this place is heading or where it came from.
But it is snowing
The snow is a metaphor for something mysterious or unpredictable happening.
In the hearts
The snow is manifesting inside people's emotions or hearts.
And minds of every kind of universe, universe, universe
This place and its effects can be felt across every universe or type of existence.
Lyrics © ANTHEM ENTERTAINMENT LP, OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SIMON DIAZ, NELLY FURTADO, JASPER GAHUNIA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind