In their own way, Bonnie Raitt and Nelly Furtado each are two of the coolest women in pop music, offering their personal perspectives on universal experiences through their energetic, rhythmically charged songs. Because Raitt and Furtado both are performing concerts in Chicago Thursday night (at the Chicago and Riviera Theatres, respectively), we put them side-by-side to compare the images they present.
History
Raitt: Raitt, the daughter of a Broadway star and a pianist, was raised in Los Angeles. Dropped out of Radcliffe and made her debut record at 21. Overcame heartbreak, substance abuse and career downturn to make 1989 comeback, “Nick of Time,” and five subsequent records (16 in all), including new “Silver Lining.”
Furtado: Furtado, the daughter of a stone mason and a hotel chambermaid, was raised in Victoria, British Columbia. Overcame involvement with window-breaking girl vandals in high school. Dropped out of college creative writing program to make her hit debut, “Whoa, Nelly!” at 21.
Music
Raitt: Blues-pop filled with R&B grooves; dabbles in reggae and African music.
Furtado: Acoustic pop filled with hip-hop grooves; dabbles in bossa nova and Portuguese music.
Inspiration
Raitt: 1920s blueswoman Sippie Wallace
Furtado: 1990s R&B trio TLC
Ax
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Raitt: Slide guitar:
Furtado: Ukulele, trombone
Themes
Raitt: Bearing up in hard times, emotional and spiritual hunger, loneliness, heartbreak, sex, search for true and lasting love.
Furtado: Identity and autonomy, youthful restlessness, loneliness, heartbreak, sex, search for true and lasting love.
Personality
Raitt: Earthy, wise, and soulful; sense of deep melancholy offset by sass and sensuality.
Furtado: Hip, bright, and searching; sense of pensive sadness offset by effervescent enthusiasm.
Famous pal
Raitt: The late John Lee Hooker
Furtado: Rapper Missy Elliot
Hero to . . .
Raitt: Women between 35 and 55 struggling to reconcile life choices.
Furtado: Women between 18 and 28 struggling to determine life’s direction.
Sex symbol to . . .
Raitt: 50-something men in Volvo station wagons.
Furtado: 50-something men in Mercedes convertibles.
Sample lyric
Raitt: “When did the choices get so hard? There’s so much more at stake/life gets mighty precious when there’s less of it to waste.”
Furtado: “I remember days when I was so eager to satisfy you/and be less than I was just to prove I could walk beside you.”