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Nelly: (on her bottom) It's nice to have
something to hang on to. It's just coming out of the woodwork,
though, so it's still shy - it doesn't want too much spotlight.
Nelly: I'm
very in love with Gael Garcia Bernal, but I think he's with Natalie
Portman. It's not fair!
Nelly: (on the
pressures of staying in shape and keeping fit.) Yeah, actually. It's
kinda good though, because it keeps you on your toes. With Maneater
I worked hard. I danced a lot that week because I wanted to be able
to do all the moves and stuff. It was my first time trying real
actual set choreography and, God, my feet were in a sink of ice the
night before the video because I'd been in high heels all week and
they were really in pain. My feet have never felt that way in my
life. But it was kind of like a rite of passage because the next day
I had to dance in front of 50 of the best dancers in L.A.. But that
was exciting for me - the challenge. I keep challenging myself,
pushing my own buttons, you know?
Nelly: I'm
sick of pristine pop records - I wanted something more immediate and
raw. Even my label tried to get me to change the final mix because
they thought it was too edgy and they thought people weren't used to
that from me.
Nelly: I'm
from a small town in Victoria, Canada, and as a teenager I used to
obsess about R&B and hip-hop stars. All their posters were on my
walls. Being in Miami with Timbaland, I felt like I was on the pulse
of hip-hop culture because he's always really in tune with
everything that's going on. He always knows what the next wave's
going to be. He's a trailblazer in music - whatever he comes out
with ...
Nelly: (on
recording in Miami): You'd see Paris Hilton, Ricky Martin, rappers,
it was incredible, it really was. It was exhilarating - every day
was something new. One moment there'd be Puff Daddy filming his
reality show in the parking lot and the next day some guy would be
bringing in a briefcase of cash for a Timbaland beat. I feed off
energy like that. I felt like all my hip-hop dreams were coming
true.
Nelly: (on
motherhood): It's just amazing, I'm so happy. Having the balance of
a work life and a family life has been so good for me. And it's made
me appreciate my job so much more. I go, "Oh wow, I'm lucky to have
a career and to be able to provide for someone else for the first
time in my life." When you have a child, you're forced to get on the
ground with them and their toys and feel life in a different way. I
think that's why my album has a youthful energy, because I was
around her infectious two-year-old energy while I was recording. I'm
privileged that I'm an artist. My schedule's not nine-to-five and I
can travel with her most of the time and not feel like I'm missing
out so much by being a working mother. It's nice too because being
an artist is one of the things you can do from home. I love writing
songs. In the future I'd love to just be at home, packing lunches
and writing songs for other artists.
Nelly: (on why
her album 'Loose' is a change of musical direction for her): You
know, I think motherhood [to daughter Nevis, two]. Childbirth and
feeling like a new woman - like more of a woman. I've kind of
blossomed, I'm in the prime of my late 20s, and I'm expressing that
a little more in my music. I think with each album an artist has to
reveal another side of themselves. I think it adheres people to you
because it shows that you're vulnerable and that you're willing to
take new risks. I think it's endearing. You have to evolve. And my
musical history is so rich - my musical knowledge is so vast - that
I feel like I have a lifetime of surprises up my sleeve. With each
album I hope to unveil a new surprise.
Nelly: (on
visiting Australia): I went to the zoo - that was fun! Us foreigners
have to see at least one koala or kangaroo or we feel like we
haven't been to Australia. I loved watching the rugby because of the
short shorts. We went for a sail through Sydney Harbour and I also
did the Rove show, which was fun.
Nelly: I like
my body so much more now since having my baby. It's just kind of
empowering when you become a mother. You just get overwhelmed with
this new confidence and you feel really in control of your life.
It's been beautiful.
Nelly: (about
playing "nerdy" instruments) I always picked the weird things. I
think life's like that - once you admit you're a big nerd it all
becomes easier.
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