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In the days of teen pop and porn on the radio, I have taken a step back from MTV drama and introduced myself to a whole new musical experience, one that is both refreshing and inspiring.

Nelly Furtado is an in-your-face 19-year-old Brazilian from British Columbia who has been around the world and back and is ready to tell you her story.

Although self-described as “”urban folk alternative,”” her debut album “”Whoa Nelly!”” breaks every attempt to stereotype by genre in the book. The closest description that comes to mind would be a Brazilian Fiona Apple, yet that is still way off.

With influences spanning from L.L. Cool J to the Smashing Pumpkins to Hindu music, Furtado has blended folk, hip-hop, alternative, Portuguese, techno-pop and various types of world music into one emotionally charged album.

The first track, titled “”Hey Man!”” introduces Furtado as an intelligent and eloquent artist looking for someone to listen to what she has to say.

If you go deeper into the album, independence becomes the theme. In “”Party,”” Furtado sings, “”Oh freedom, where do I begin/I’m changing my inflection of how I say the words.””

Furtado writes, “”I was born to document the way I see the world and the experiences I’ve had in it.””

— Tara Jones