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25-year-old Melanie Fiona is not your average modern day R&B star. In a world where auto-tune rules and wearing the hottest new Louboutin boots makes you a huge star, Melanie emerges as one of those rare gems that will shine on her enormous talent alone–OK, so it doesn’t hurt that the Canadian-born Fiona is also drop-dead-gorgeous.
Melanie decided to name her debut album The Bridge. She chose the title because much of the album’s sound blends many different genres together to make one harmonious finishing product.
Pop meets traditional R&B on her first single “Give It To Me Right,” which samples The Zombie‘s 1960s hit “Time of the Season.” Her sultry voice is self-assured as she tells a lover to satisfy her or get to steppin’.
Her Caribbean roots (Guyanese to be exact) meet soul on “Somebody Come Get Me,” where she pulls a page from Jazmine Sullivan‘s “Bust Your Windows” handbook but takes it a step further. “Somebody come get me before I kill this man/Somebody come get me/Come get this knife out me hand.” Sheesh! Don’t play with Melanie.
Fiona’s peers are already starting to take notice. She was handpicked to open for Kanye West on his European tour last fall by the man himself and ?uestlove of The Roots says she is “the best of both worlds.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Find out more about Melanie Fiona in our Limelight Spotlight Q&A:
Who knew The Zombie’s “Time of the Season” would make such a great R&B backdrop. Whose idea was it to sample the song?
As much as I would love it to have been me…it was the very talented and amazing writer and producer of the song, Andrea Martin.
When did you start singing? When did you decide this was the career for you?
I’ve been singing since the age of 3… I think I always knew it was what I wanted to do with my life, but didn’t really get into the industry side of things till my senior year in highschool.
Who were your musical influences growing up?
My parents were a huge influence in my choice of music. My dad played guitar in a reggae soca soul band, and my mom would sing along with the most singers of the time. I listened to a lot of oldies… Sam Cooke, Patsy Cline, Bob Marley, and Whitney Houston to name a few.
Who are you listening to nowadays?
I’m kinda stuck on listening to my favourite artists and albums over and over…. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is one I can never get sick of. Anything by India Arie, Musiq Soulchild, Amy Winehouse. I’ve also been listening to a lot of 90’s hip hop!
What was it like touring with Kanye West? Did Mr. 808s and Heartbreak give you any advice about the business?
Being on tour with Kanye was the best experience. I had an amazing time and learned so much from watching him perform night after night. Aside from taking notes, he gave me some great tips on how to put on amazing show, and what it really takes to have people remember you on stage. Priceless information!!!
Are there any collaborations we can look forward to on your album, The Bridge?
Nope. As of right now, its just me! But I’m sure there will be some collabo remixes in the future.
Besides music, what are some other talents you posses?
Many people might not guess, but I like sports…I played almost every sport growing up, so I like watching and participating. I even took up boxing for 8 months!
I’m also pretty good at dominoes…it runs in my family.
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For more on Melanie Fiona, check out her official Myspace page: www.myspace.com/melaniefiona
Her new single, “Give It To Me Right,” is available on iTunes now.
Her debut album, The Bridge, hits stores early summer 2009.
Check out a video from her showcase at the Canal Room in New York and listen to “Give It To Me Right” on the other side.
I’m feeling her music and anticipating what she has in store for us on her album.
She sounds great!!!! Thanks for giving me the head’s up on Melanie. :)
Certified fan! She is amazing.
Monday Morning is the jam…her sound is great. I will buy this CD.
My god this crap is over rated. I’m going with ‘the suck’ as far as originality and composition. Amatuerish to the extreme. Nothing to see here, move along.
hmm I dont know what kinda shhht in this person’s ear^^^. But she is it..I love her big time. New love!!
Her song is hot. I’ve started telling my sidekick, he better listen and learn cause I’m not playing. Jus lik my #1 guy he 2 can B replace by sidekic 3!!!!!!
I’ve been a musician for 35 years. It is disgusting that “artists” like this can’t even come up with their own original music, but instead have to rip off true musicians who did the heavy lifting. The sickening thing is that so many sheeple think this is real music. No doubt, Ms. Fiona considers herself an artist. What a joke.
There has always been pop music, but this is completely manufactured bullshit like so much of the crap that fills the airwaves today. In stark contrast to Ms. Fiona and her ilk are the Beatles, to cite one example. Yes, The Beatles were poppy in the beginning, but there is a huge difference between them and the myriad hip-hop and R & B cretins of today (country music is also manufactured garbage but at least the backing bands can play well. As far as modern rock goes, rock bands normally possess real musicians; however, with a few notable exceptions there has been nothing innovative in the rock genre in over a decade).
The Beatles wrote their own music, played their own music and contributed to the musical lexicon in ways that would take many pages to delineate. Also, not only do they have staying power almost a half a century after the fact, but every musician that I’ve known throughout the years, regardless of genre, has the greatest respect for them. No musician that I know has any regard for the mindless cookie cutter garbage that has inundated the airwaves for far too long.
I can’t believe how our culture has degenerated. The Zombies should sue (if theyr’e still alive) – I sure as hell would. I guess taking music lessons, learning to play an instrument and learning to write your own music is simply too much trouble for some people. Why waste your time when you can act immorally and rip off true musicians.
Number 1 Fan Melanie I Love U
I just wanted to say congrats to melanie on such an amazing album and to keep up the good work, love to collab with you one day.