Furtado finds fresh inspiration for ‘Mi Plan’

MIAMI — Nelly Furtado admits that writing her new, all-Spanish album, “Mi Plan,” wasn’t in her plans at all after finishing a hectic tour to promote her last chart-topping record.

“I was physically tired and I wasn’t feeling inspired. It was almost as if I lost my pop inspiration to write in English,” Furtado said. “I just needed a new outlet, and I found it by writing in Spanish.”

The 30-year-old singer told The Associated Press at a Miami recording studio that her fourth full-length album, which is set for release Sept. 15 on her own Nelstar Music label, more intimately explores the passion that fuels relationships

“I think this album has some of my first true love songs ever. They’re not complicated. They’re not over-intellectualized, and I found it liberating to be able to sing in the Latin language and to express myself from my Latin soul,” said Furtado, the Canadian-born daughter of Portuguese immigrants.

The Grammy-Award winner, who vaulted up the pop charts with such indelible tracks as “I’m Like a Bird” in 2000 and “Promiscuous” in 2006, is set to deliver a new fleet of mostly up-tempo, melodic tunes on “Mi Plan.”

“Manos Al Aire” and “Mas” have already hit the airwaves, and two more songs are expected to be available on iTunes in the coming weeks leading up to the album’s release.

The 11 songs on the album include collaborations with Mexican singers Alejandro Fernandez and Julieta Venegas, Spanish singer Concha Buika, Latin hip-hop singer La Mala Rodriguez and Dominican singer Juan Luis Guerra.

And classical singer Josh Groban’s cameo on “Silencio” was a “huge blessing,” Furtado said.

“I thought it was important to sort of showcase on this album an artist that people know more for their English recordings,” she said. “So, I thought by working with Josh would actually elevate my point that language isn’t a barrier when it comes to music.”