Ok... maybe you're right...
In the U.S.A, she was not sooooooo popular and so overexpected to come with a new album like Justin Timberlake!!
Justin re-invented himself and come out great!!
Although "Sexyback" was HUGE hit,I remember it was kinda difficult for him in the first weeks to reach top 10 in the U.S... because it was too dance-floor-music...and many people hated it in the beggining... but, then all the crowd get used to the song...and started to love it like crazy... In Europe, it was an instant success because people are more used to listen to disco-music in the radio... Take the success of David Guetta and Bob Sinclair in Europe, for example!! Nobody knows them in the U.S!!
BUT, I have to say that, although her album "Folklore" kinda flopped in the U.S and many other countries after the success of "Whoa, Nelly!"... it is also true that second album sold 2 million copies worldwide... becoming 2xPlatinum in Portugal and Germany, Platinum in Switzerland... and in these countries it sold more than the first album. It was also Platinum (Canada, for example) and Gold (U.S.A, for example) in other countries... So, she didn't come out of nothing!! I mean, "Força" was a summer 04 hit in some countries... and many people actually love the song "Try" even if it was not that hit (because it just didn't have the right promotion...).
She re-invented herself... being the same Nelly with an edgy-side... She and Timbaland should do a band together! They are perfect together...