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Melanie Fiona

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Melanie Fiona
Fiona performing in Canada, June 2010
Background information
Birth nameMelanie Fiona Hallim
Also known asSyren Hall
GenresR&B, soul, reggae
OccupationSinger-songwriter
InstrumentVocals
Years active2002–present
LabelsSRC, Universal Motown, Roc Nation
Websitemelaniefiona.com

Melanie Fiona Hallim (born July 4, 1983) is a Canadian R&B and Grammy-nominated recording artist from Toronto, Ontario. She was born to Guyanese immigrant parents of African, Indian, and Portuguese descent and grew up in the inner city of Toronto.[1] Living in a music filled household, Fiona says she always knew music was her passion. Her father was a guitarist in a band and would allow her to sit on the stage when she was younger as he practiced, and remembers her mother playing music at home; everything from The Ronettes to Whitney Houston. Fiona was featured on Reggae Gold 2008 with the Supa Dups-produced "Somebody Come Get Me". Her debut album The Bridge was released in the summer of 2009. She worked on the album with Future Cut, Vada Nobles, Stereotypes, J. Phoenix and Peter Wade Keusch. The debut single "Give It to Me Right" was sent to radio stations on February 28, 2009, and peaked at number 20 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart and number 41 on the UK Singles Chart.[2] The second single, "It Kills Me", became her breakout song on the Billboard Hot 100 where it cracked the Top 50, along with topping the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song earned Fiona a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The Bridge also earned her a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding New Artist.

Life and career

1983–2001: Early life & Career Beginnings

Melanie Fiona Hallim was born on July 4, 1983, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[3][4] She is the daughter and second child of Guyanese immigrant parents, who immigrated to Canada in the late 1970s.[3][5] Her father was a janitor before working in finance, and her mother worked in banking.[3] Fiona began writing songs at age 16.[6]

In 2002, Fiona was briefly involved with girl group X-Quisite.[7] Early in her career, she would perform at nightclubs in Toronto.[8] In 2005, Fiona traveled to Los Angeles, California, in search of a recording contract. According to Fiona, record labels "loved" the way she looked and sung, but she "knew that the minute I worked with them or would have signed with them, they would have tried to change me into someone else completely different. That was something that I didn't want to do."[7] She went on to co-write songs for recording artists Rihanna and Kardinal Offishall.[7] Fiona also recorded the reggae song "Somebody Come Get Me" under the stage name Syren Hall, which was included in the Reggae Gold 2008 compilation album.[9][10]

2007–2010:The Bridge

Entrepreneur Steve Rifkind discovered and signed Fiona to SRC Records and Universal Motown in 2007.[3][7] She went on to tour with Kanye West in his Glow in the Dark Tour[9] Prior to completing her debut album, Fiona met with recording artist Jay-Z and his friend Tata. She played them some of her music and was then co-signed by Roc Nation.[11] She released her debut album, The Bridge, in June 2009, which has sold 248,000 copies in the United States.[9] Beyond Race Magazine ranked Fiona among "50 Emerging Artists" of 2009.[12] Several singles were released from the album, including "It Kills Me", which topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for 10 weeks and earned her a Grammy Award nomination at the 52nd Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.[7][8] Fiona participated in "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" to benefit after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. She began touring with Alicia Keys as an opening act on The Freedom Tour in 2010.[13] The album spawned six singles with one being "It Kills Me" which reached the top spot on US R&B chart.

2011-Present: MF Life

In 2011 Fiona began recording her second studio album. The lead single was named "Gone and Never Coming Back" it peaked at 37 on US R&B chart. The second single "4AM" was sent to urban stations on August 30th 2011.[14] The album is scheduled to be released on December 25th, 2011[15].

Musical style and influences

Fiona cites Bob Marley, Sam Cooke, Sade, Whitney Houston, India.Arie and Patsy Cline as her musical influences.[5][6][10] She also cited Mary J. Blige's career as inspirational, who she called an icon.[16] She called Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill the album that changed her perspective, calling it an "amazing body of work".[6] She attributes her parents for her vintage sound. Her father was a guitarist in a band, while her mother would sing around the house. She explained that "[m]y parents were big music lovers and played soul music all the time", who would play The Supremes, The Ronettes and Cooke, as well as Caribbean music like soca, calypso and reggae.[3][17]

Fiona songwriting revolves around her personal experiences. She stated that she attempts to "keep [the songs] as universal as possible, unless I am writing about something very personal, even then the themes are universal".[5] She has received comparisons to Hill, Macy Gray, Chrisette Michele, Marsha Ambrosius and Jill Scott.[18]

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions
CAN US US R&B[19] GER SWI UK
2009 The Bridge 25 27 4 35 3 98
2011 The MF Life[20] To be released

Singles

Year Song Peak chart positions[22][23] Album
CAN AUT GER ITA SWE SWI US US
R&B 		UK
2009 "Sad Songs"[A] — — — — — — — — — The Bridge
"Give It to Me Right" 20 54 31 9 — 5 — 57 41
"It Kills Me" — — — — — — 43 1 —
"Bang Bang" — — — — — — — — —
"Monday Morning" — 3 46 — 11 1 — — —
2010 "Ay Yo" — — — — — 62 — 71 —
2011 "Gone and Never Coming Back" — — — — — — — 37 — The MF Life
2011 "4 AM" — — — — — — — 57 —
As featured artist
2011 "Let It Rain"
(Tinchy Stryder feat. Melanie Fiona) 		— — — — — — — — 14 Third Strike
Notes
  • A ^ "Sad Songs" was released in the UK only as a digital EP before the release of "Give It To Me Right". The three-song EP also contained the reggae-tinged songs "Somebody Come Get Me" and "Island Boy", both produced by Supa Dups.[24]

Awards and nominations

  • BET Awards[25]
    • 2010, Best New Artist (nominated)
    • 2010, Best Female R&B Artist (nominated)
    • 2010, BET Centric Award (nominated)
    • 2010, Video of the Year "It Kills Me" (nominated)
  • Grammy Awards
    • 2010, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "It Kills Me" (nominated)[7]
    • 2011, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "Wake Up! Everybody" with John Legend, The Roots & Common (nominated)
  • Juno Awards
    • 2010, R&B/Soul Recording of the Year: The Bridge (nominated)[8]

References

  1. ^ Melanie Fiona: Priceless RapIndustry.com. Accessed on January 2, 2010.
  2. ^ "Give It To Me Right Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  3. ^ a b c d e Farber, Jim (March 21, 2010). "Canadian soul singer Melanie Fiona travels in time between where music has been and where it's going". New York Daily News. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  4. ^ Chisling, Matthew. "Melanie Fiona > Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  5. ^ a b c Burch, Audra D.S. (March 18. 2010). "Making music in Miami Gardens". The Miami Herald. The McClatchy Company. Retrieved 18 April 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b c Mahn, Jessica (July 19. 2009). "Interview: Melanie Fiona". Fanbolt. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 18 April 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ a b c d e f Patch, Nick (January 28, 2010). "Grammy Watch: Melanie Fiona". Toronto Star. Torstar. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  8. ^ a b c Infantry, Ashante (March 7, 2010). "Singer Melanie Fiona saves love for T-Dot". Toronto Star. Torstar. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  9. ^ a b c Jones, Steve (March 17, 2010). "The little R& B singer who could—and did". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  10. ^ a b Varghese, Susan (July 2, 2009). "Melanie Fiona". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 18 April 2010. [dead link]
  11. ^ Roberts, Steven (February 3, 2010). "Melanie Fiona Sees Her Hard Work Pay Off in 2010". MTV News. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  12. ^ W., Damien. "Melanie Fiona". Beyond Race Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  13. ^ Roberts, Steven (January 8, 2010). "Melanie Fiona Looks Forward to 'Empowering' Tour with Alicia Keys". MTV News. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  14. ^ http://www.allaccess.com/urban/future-releases
  15. ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.16909/title.rap-release-dates-young-jeezy-mac-miller-bow-wow-dj-drama
  16. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (January 28, 2010). "Mary J. Blige Honored by Essence for Iconic Career". MTV News. Retrieved 18 April 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Swan, Rhonda (March 15, 2010). "Grammy-nominated Melanie Fiona mixes many cultures into her sound". The Palm Beach Post. Cox Enterprises. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  18. ^ "Melanie Fiona could be next big thing". Shields Gazette. Johnston Press. August 5, 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  19. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/melanie-fiona/chart-history/1062026?f=333&g=Albums
  20. ^ "Melanie Fiona talks "New upcoming album (The MF Life) & her Loyal fan base"". YouTube. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  21. ^ http://www.rap-up.com/2011/09/19/fall-2011-album-release-schedule
  22. ^ "GER, BUL, CAN, US and UK chart performances". Acharts.us. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  23. ^ Steffen Hung. "AUT, CH and IT chart performances". Swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  24. ^ "Sad Songs: Melanie Fiona: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
  25. ^ Chery, Carl (May 18, 2010). "Drake, Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj Lead Pack of BET Awards Nominees". Black Entertainment Television. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  26. ^ "Eska Music Awards". Ema.eska.pl. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
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