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Being an attractive female singer is hard. Yes, your face may end up plastered all over billboards, MTV2 and the latest lotion commercials, but at some point, you’ll be faced with the inevitable integrity battle. It’s a fight that Toronto-bred singer-songwriter, Melanie Fiona knows well.
“There have been a lot of frustrating moments along this journey. When you’re trying to develop yourself as an artist, people are always trying to tell you what you should be,” says the stunning singer, who’s of West Indian heritage. “Whenever that happened, it just pushed me to prove someone wrong, to work harder. I either wrote a fantastic song or pushed myself to reach another level.”
Currently signed to SRC/Universal Motown and managed by Jay-Z’s RocNation, Fiona is on the brink of once and for all proving that beauty doesn’t have to limit talent. A natural singer who grew up in a musical home (her father is a guitarist and her mother is a singer), Fiona’s ascension on the Toronto music scene, like most artists, was full of highs and lows. Her debut album, The Bridge, highlights the emotional roller coaster she endured. Most important to Fiona is the release’s ability to connect with people of all backgrounds on a tangible level.
“I just wanted to make a body of work that spoke to everybody, to bridge the gap between the things that separate us,” says Fiona, adding that she wants to be a “voice for the people.”
Her lead single, “Give It To Me Right,” has people paying attention, and also makes a case for her unifying abilities. With multilayered vocals and calming production, the song proves that Fiona’s style has developed over the years. She’s proud of where she’s landed creatively.
“I’ve had to take a stand,” says Fiona, who also wrote Rihanna’s “Them Haters.” “I’ve turned down record deals because they didn’t want to allow me to do the kind of music that I wanted to do and that I’ve worked so hard to do.”
Comfortable in her current situation, Fiona is hopeful about the future.
“That’s the beauty of signing with SRC, because Steve Rifkind didn’t want to change a thing,” she says. “It’s nice when you fight for something so wholeheartedly and then someone comes along and respects that.” –jacinta howard
