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Watch Timbaland perform only the times he says “EH” in Nelly Furtado’s ‘Say It Right’
A viral clip shows producer Timbaland performing Nelly Furtado's 2006 hit 'Say It Right' solo, singing only his own backing vocals from the track – a repeated "EH" grunt – while leaving out Furtado's lead vocal entirely. The moment, captured during a set at the Łódź Summer Festival in Poland on 25 July, has amused social media users and sparked renewed appreciation for the subtle production flourishes Timbaland brought to some of the era's biggest pop songs.
Timbaland co-produced the track with Nate "Danja" Hills for Furtado's third album 'Loose', and it became her second US number one single, later earning a Grammy nomination that lost out to Amy Winehouse's 'Rehab'. Reactions online ranged from mockery ("sounds like the birds outside my window") to genuine admiration for his production genius. Furtado, who stepped back from live performances last October and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in March, has previously discussed with NME the pair's collaborative process and floated the idea of a Las Vegas residency built around the 'Loose' album.
In short
- Timbaland went viral singing only his "EH" grunts from 'Say It Right'
- Clip filmed solo at Poland's Łódź Summer Festival on 25 July
- Fans reacted with mix of mockery and admiration for his production skill
Explained simply
Nelly Furtado is a Canadian singer whose album Loose, released in 2006, marked a shift towards a more dance-oriented pop sound. Producer Timbaland and his collaborator Nate “Danja” Hills helped shape the album, including its single “Say It Right”.
Timbaland is known for distinctive beats and vocal sounds in pop and hip-hop. On “Say It Right”, he added a short repeated backing-vocal sound beneath Furtado’s lead singing. The song became a major hit and was nominated for a Grammy, connecting their collaboration with one of the best-known pop records of the 2000s.