NEW YORK (AP) — When Nelly Furtado released her first album in 2000, she had to fight. A lot.

She says over the years she battled “editors of magazines and art directors and stylists.” In the beginning, the photos she shopped to record labels were taken at a mall photo booth, because she wanted to control her look.

In the music video for her debut song “I’m Like a Bird,” Furtado says she fought to wear sneakers, baggy jeans and hoop earrings.

Fast forward 10 years later and Furtado is fully in control of her career, and celebrating with the greatest hits compilation “The Best of Nelly Furtado,” released last month.

The 32-year-old says “nowadays everybody feels like they can become a star just because they’re on YouTube, but that’s not the only part of the equation.”

___

http://www.nellyfurtado.com