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It turns out Drake really does know it’s like to have Started From The Bottom, after it was revealed he used to be a backup singer for Nelly Furtado.

Furtado, one of the defining pop artists of the early 2000s with smash hits I’m Like A Bird (which won her a Grammy), Promiscuous and Turn Off The Light, revealed in an interview with Nylon that Drake performed on Nelly’s 2007 Get Loose tour.

Nelly and Drake are both Toronto natives, and when the interviewer commented that Nelly paved the way for musical artists in the city, including Drake, she replied:

“Drake knows. Actually, he was on the tour for Loose. He did background vocals for Socrates, my opening act.”

Everybody’s gotta start somewhere.

Furtado, 38 and mother to 13-year-old daughter Nevis Gahunia, has proven her longevity in the industry as she prepares to drop her sixth album The Ride on March 31. In the Nylon interview, she reflected on her status as a symbol of female empowerment. Twenty years ago, it was unusual for a female pop artist to make it big with short hair, tomboy outfits and singing about being a Maneater.

“I was trying to follow in the footsteps of TLC and Salt-N-Pepa owning their sexuality and trying to be on an even playing field with the dudes. If you’re having a tête–à–tête with a guy, then you’re probably going to talk about putting a condom on, too, because the dialogue has started.”

She revealed that record executives tried to convince her to dress in a more feminine way, but she pushed back.

“I had to fight my label to wear Adidas shell toes and huge raver jeans in the I’m Like a Bird video,” she said. “They had dresses at the fitting and I was like, ‘No. I’m going to wear my shell toes and my jeans because this is who I am. I’m going to wear hoops in every photo shoot, and I’m going to wear my hair like this.’ I was really aware of who I was and what made me feel comfortable.”