REPORT music
Melanie Fiona
I’ve made my mark in music and that
people will appreciate it for years to
come. I think I’ve succeeded.
Discover why Kanye is a big fan If you have one, what’s your
favourite track on the album?
It’s a hidden secret track called
You Stop My Heart.
Is that one you wrote yourself?
I worked with Andrea Martin on it.
The original sample is from Frankie
Avalon’s Venus and I have such fond
memories of my parents dancing to
this song and playing dominoes on a
Saturday night when I was a child.
What was it like opening for
Kayne? Unforgettable?
Incredible. He gave me the amazing
opportunity to perform on such a
huge scale which is unreal. It was
one of the best learning experiences
and I think, by far, one of the best
accomplishments of my career so far.
Which artists inspire you?
For me, the top of my music food
chain is Sam Cooke. His music gives
me goosebumps and he was before
his time. A lot of people forget about
him, he inspired so many great soul
artists – the Stevies and the Marvins.
If you could duet with anyone?
I’d pick Lauryn Hill. I would totally
let her lead the whole song; I’d just
throw in some backgrounds!
What sort of thing would you
say inspires you to write?
I’d say life does because I love
travelling and by meeting different
people you hear what they’ve been
through and that makes them who
“Sa
m C
ook
e’s m
usi
c a
lwa
ys they are. By really acknowledging the
When an artist like Melanie Fiona gives me b
ig go
os
appears on the scene, her vocal
ebum
ps”
delivery causes your ears to perk So how did you get into singing?
up and pay attention. With a diverse It’s been a natural thing to me my way you feel about things and the
background, it’s no wonder that her whole life. When I was a teenager I way things make you feel is the way
debut album is called The Bridge, realised that music was what I loved to be inspired by anything.
as it’s filled with a cross section of far more than anything else.
sounds and samples that take you What could you not live without?
on a journey of listening bliss. The How did you develop your sound? The support of my family means the
combination of Guyanese parents It took a lot of discovery and slow most to me. It’s just the best feeling
and living in multicultural Canada, development as I had to really figure to know that you have people in your
illustrate Melanie Fiona’s sound and out what it was that was going to corner who love and support you and
the various cultural influences that separate me from other people. who’ll help you do anything to help
make her the artist she is today. People challenging me and telling me your dream become a reality.
The regularly rotated Give It To who I should be helped me to decide
Me Right and a UK hidden track what type of sound I wanted. Where do you see yourself being
called Island Boy, show why Melanie in ten years’ time?
incent
Fiona was hand-picked by Kayne How would you describe your I’ll still be making music, I’ll definitely
West to open for him on his Glow album to someone? be happy and healthy and I’ll have
In The Dark tour. Flavour caught up I really wanted to make an album that visited every country in the world.
with the rising starlet for a quick chat. bridged the gap and blurred the lines
between what people think music is Melaine Fiona’s debut album
How are you finding London? meant to be. It’s definitely an album The Bridge is out now on SRC/
I absolutely love it! It’s brilliant. It that encompasses many different Motown Universal Records. ords by Natalie V
reminds me of my home in Toronto. genres of music. I want to know that www.melaniefiona.com W
032 www.flavourmag.co.uk
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