OAKLAND, Calif.--In 2006, Nelly Furtado made a play for pop stardom, and it paid off in spades.

Pushing her quirky, multiethnic songwriting to the back burner in favor of superproducer Timbaland's sexy, club-ready beats, the Canadian singer's album Loose churned out a career's worth of hits, particularly with overt chart-toppers like "Maneater" and "Promiscuous."

But in an endearing 90-minute set Thursday night at Oakland's Paramount Theatre, Furtado proved that she's more than just a makeover. The sassy, radio-friendly tracks were there, of course, but she mixed them in with some of her older songs and some interesting covers that, for the most part, gave the night a flow that was diverse if not a tad disjointed.

More than anything, the 28-year-old Furtado came across as shy and appreciative, both winning attributes that added some balance to a set that had Furtado dashing off lines like, "Promiscuous boy / You already know / That I'm all yours / What you waiting for?" on "Promiscuous."

Sporting a retro '80s-inspired red dress, Furtado was backed by a full band and a troupe of backup dancers that were gratuitous at times. The stuttering hand claps and pounding beat of the opening track, "Say It Right," sent a charge through the room, and the crowd remained electric for the set's first 15 minutes or so.

The bottom fell out a bit during a lengthy ballad section that followed. Although her voice was flawless, Furtado lost the audience a bit during "Wait For You," which featured her dancers coupling off for some cheesy faux-ballet moves.

The singer then darted off the stage for the first of her three costume changes, returning in a strapless purple ball gown that was cut off to knee-length in the front. The new outfit didn't signal a change of pace, as the ballad "Showtime" kept the pace low but allowed the gifted singer to show off her multioctave talents.

Furtado picked the middle of the set to show off the side of her that predated the club bangers and ballads. With the help of opening act and fellow Canadian singer/rapper Saukrates, Furtado dove into a Spanish version of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" and her own track "Te Busque," which was the perfect blend of heartfelt crooning and Latin percussion.

Another costume change gave her band the chance to dive into a weak rendition of Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack," which was also produced by Timbaland and vied with "Crazy" for the biggest song of 2006. Furtado returned in silver jeans and a leather bustier for Timbaland's smash hit "Give it to Me," which features both Furtado and Timberlake on vocals.

Furtado then threw her older fans a bone, leading her band into a funky version of "Like a Bird," the 2000 hit that introduced fans to a songwriter who seemed to have a foot planted in both folk music and hip-hop. A medley of "Glow" and a sped-up cover of Blondie's "Heart of Glass" followed.

Nelly traded her pumps in for sneakers for "Forca"--the official anthem of the 2004 European Football Championship--the final and most playful song of the night as the dancers kicked inflatable soccer balls into the crowd. Nelly signed the last ball before handing it to a fan in the front row.

"Promiscuous" closed out the set, with Saukrates filling in for Timbaland on the track's playful back-and-forth banter. The encore featured "No Hay Igual" and "Maneater," which featured Furtado looking decidedly uncomfortable strumming on a guitar.

Given the two rather disparate sides of Furtado's sonic brain--diversity and originality on one hand and cut-and-paste radio fare on the other--the show was bound to be a bit disjointed at times, and it was. But it will be most interesting to see where this very talented singer heads next, whether she picks a side or finds a way to meld the two into a cohesive style all her own.