Guyanese songstress Melanie Fiona dropped her debut effort “The Bridge” a pop, funk, hip-hip soul, R&B filled release with a hint of reggae flavor adorned with both impressive vocal tone and gritty delivery.
After being struck out of obscurity by way of backing from Kanye West and Jay-Z, her first single ‘Give It To Me Right,’ was a precursor to her musical worth. Fiona doesn’t disappoint when it comes to her conviction, sending the listener on a roller-coaster ride of emotion that descends into admirable territory by the album’s end.
You can tell that the best of 60s and 70s soul music was on her mind when she recorded this album and that’s a good thing. For example, “Bang Bang,” offers and interesting stab at a soulful tune with just a hint of country roots as she sings “I’ll be locking and loading, I’ll be shooting forever, got my eye on the target.” But just as she paints a picture of a strong female who goes for what she wants, her coy side can be heard in tracks like “Please Don’t Cry Baby” which runs excitingly close to a sample of The Supremes 1964 hit ‘Come See About Me.’ What Fiona does so well is prove that despite sounding as if she were transplanted from the Motown era, individuality will land you in lane all your own.
If “The Bridge” has a running theme it’s “female empowerment” but not the overbearing kind littered with sad “I can do bad all by myself” songs. On “Monday Morning” the Toronto native gets uber self-assured as she informs her lover that she’s got things to do so if he doesn’t leave then she’s leaving him! But by the time you get to “Walk On By,” she has had more than enough of the bs that bad relationships bring. Misfires like “Ay Yo,’” and “Priceless” only arise due to lack of cohesion, because Fiona’s voice can pretty much make anything worthwhile.
“The Bridge,” fuses musical genres with R&B as its base in a way that’s not unlike Amy Winehouse (in her post drug addict days) but still unique. Fiona definitely has room to kick it up a notch and really step out of her box, because I get the sense that she’s holding back some of what she’s really capable of. But for a debut album, being willing to live so deep within your musical truth is always a good sign.
im a fan
I bought this album on iTunes last night. I’m listening to it. It’s nice. I love love love her song “It Kills Me.” Her vocals are crazy. The sound is what I’d have to get used to but overall, it’s nice.
Wow this album came out ages ago in the UK..
Her album cover looks really scary.
The album is a BANGER! Soon as I heard “It Kills Me” I knew I had 2 have the album. Hope she does good numbers. Gotta support real music & real singers. Her vocals are BANANAS!
This woman is gorgeous!
@PAULA maybe because it is an ode to the one she worships, satan
i bought this album like 1 month ago on itunes and it was available on amazon mp3. this chick is sick! her vocal style definitely sets her from the overplayed artists. i can’t wait until her next album drops. i love every track!!!
it kills me is my jam!!!i will be getting this album soon
im deffinately goin to cop her cd.. we have to support good music no matter what the genere.. When i saw her video on BET (which i NEVER watch) i thought she was gonna be something pretty huge and i wish her so much success and good fortune she also seems to b a very sweet and humble young lady u have to dig that about her.. im copping her album and pressuring all my friends to do so as well lol!!
“Magic” is the shyt!!!! Her voice is incredible
Does anyone notice how they made her skin lighter for these photos. She is very beautiful but they are trying to make her look yellow. Shes clearly brown in her videos. Smh
I like her music.
This is a really great album. If you’re a fan of real R&B/Soul, you’ll enjoy this. Melanie Fiona is a gifted vocalist, and the lyrical content is great too. I hope everyone supports her!
her cd is bananas…please support melanie because its time we celebrate true artistry not the crap they are feeding us on a daily…fav songs…it kills me…monday morning and you stop my heart…luv it
Ummm I loove tracks “Ayo” “Give it To Me Right” and “Kills Me” Otherwise the album is okie doke. but her voice is amazing and I can see her doin big things in the future.
This is real music with some substance, I will most certainly support her and get the c.d.
Melanie Fionaaaaa, representing for Toronto!
“a pop, funk, hip-hip soul, R&B filled release with a hint of reggae flavor adorned with both impressive vocal tone and gritty delivery.” sounds like the description of estelle’s album. anywho i flipped past her performance on 106&Park the other day. she’s talented but not destinct, if amarie, latoya, brandy, and nem can’t break out into stardom i don’t think she will either.
Am I the only person that thinks she resembles Chaka Khan i’m her younger days on her album cover?
OMG, I HEARD IT KILLS ME FOR THE FIRST TIME A LIL BIT AGO AND INSTANTLY LOVED IT! I CAUGHT MELANIE ON 106 AND SHE HAS A VERY BUBBLY PERSONALITY AS WELL AS BEAUTY.
great album
AMAZING ALBUM!
SHES an awesome talent! Support this one yall!
She is like the new Alicia Keys as far as bringing new soul back. I listened to her album, and I will definitely be buying. She has wonderful talent.
Sidenote: Her hair is so luscious, I found out it was real too!! I love my natural hair, but I wouldn’t mind having hers either lol
SO WHAT
Love her and her album. Correction she’s not Guyanese, her parents are but she’s Canadian born and raised.
Sad Songs is a big big tune, I believe the beat is from Silly Games by Janet Kay … I think, not sure correct me if Im wrong but yh i love it lol
I like melanie fiona, I think she’s very talented, I really hope that she’ll be recognized.
Been on Melanie since concreteloop posted her first single “give it to me right”. I loveeeeeee this girl, she is my favorite artist of 09′. I am glad she is really getting more shine as well.
By far my favorite new artist of the year and her album is just amazing. I love EVERY SONG. It’s crazy how you can listen to it and hear the soul roots but at the same time it sounds so modern. I really hope she gets the recognition she deserves.
CL who is Latifah Mohammed?
dont worry i liked her post tee hee
Melanie fiona is the next best thing out there, finally the world can hear and see truee talent on both the inside and out!
LOVE HER and of course shes is reppin the one and only TORONTO, do your thing mahh!
I bought the album a few weeks ago when it was on sale at itunes for $5.99. The album is very good. I like every song on there. She’s become my favorite new artist and she’s a great performer. I’m really hoping her talents won’t be ignored and that she’ll have longevity in the game. People say they want real music, where here it is right here.
Pingback: Melanie Fiona : The Bridge. « Ms. Notoriously Addictive
Love her cd. She has a great voice too, something very rare in popular music nowadays.
Big ups to Melanie – she is representing Toronto right! i didn’t like her debut singel at all, but I am loving her single, It Kills me! I haven’t heard the album yet, but I will definitely check it out. Best of luck to her!
@ paula and watcher, i think her album cover is meant to be a tribute to the mowtown era. anyway, i love her album. i bought it off itunes canada.
the cover makes it looks old school.
I love her. She sings so good live!
We haven’t had a new female artist actually become popular in a long time. Not in about 4 or 5 years we need to get it together but I’m not feeling those songs. And to the person that said Brandy can’t break out into stardom @19. wow how old are you?? LOL Brandy was HUGE in the 90s up to about 2001 or ’02 she lost her appeal.
Oh yeah I also wanted to add its been so hard for new black artists to make a name for themselves because #1 MTV and BET do not show videos anymore. It was really messed up when MTV took off TRL. That really hurt new artists because now they aren’t able to get any TV time for when its necessary. If you are not already established its hard for you to gain a fanbase through the internet because #1 black people would rather download your sh*t if they aren’t familiar with you and #2 believe it or not, not a lot of people browse the web for new music. They can’t reach the people that don’t get on the internet all the time like that. There are a lot of young black artists that should be stars right now and MTV needs to get it together. That’s where most of the promotion came from for new artists.
“It Kills Me” is definitely my song!
TORONTO!
And she doesn’t worship Satan .. @ WATCHER.
Oh and this girl can truely sing.
Saw her on 106 and she sounded really good!
she’s a beautiful girl, with a great voice (LIVE vocals are on point).. i hope her album does well
i can’t stop playing “it kills me”
my bff just got me hip to her about a week ago….
gonna get the album today!!!
LOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEE THIS CD I DOWNLOADED IT OFF ITUNES AND BEEN CRANKIN IT SINCE THEN… SAD SONGS, IT KILLS ME, ARE SO HOT… BUY HER CD
I love It Kills Me…and she is very beautiful! Good luck to her!
I got her album off itunes over the weekend and I like. I love her voice. Cute girl
Melanie Fiona has a great voice.
@NeNe – Yeah…that Brandy comment threw me off too.
I’m really feeling Melanie, but I can never find her album when I’m in the stores.
@ Nene
I agree with your post in some respect, but I have one question when you reference that *Black folks would rather download your music if they don’t know the artist well*??…I hope you mean download illegally, because I download almost everything unless it is a FAVORITE artist of mine. I PAY for my downloaded music…. whole albums cost no more than 9.99 often on sale fist day of release for 4.99…. ….and legal purchased downloads are tracked as sales.. anywho..!!
Miss Melanie F. is very talented, and I hope we as Black folks support her and any other artist we enjoy by buying their music and supporting there effort in this entertainment game.
I have to say, I was highly disappointed in Melanie Fiona’s album. There is only 1 song on the entire album that I love to death and that is “Sad Songs”. After all the hype..I expected more from her.
Melanie is a doll. She came to bmore last month, and showed the city so much love. G
i’ve been meanin 2 cop this 4 a while btw when you mention amy winehouse don’t you mean in her PRE drug addict days not POST?
The best PURE R&B album out since Jazmine Sullivan’s Fearless from last year. Real R&B is so hard to come by these days.
@Watcher
The cover is not an ode to Satan. Stop it LOL
Didn’t care for her at first but I dig her now. Good luck Melanie!
…ACTUALLY, THE MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMOF 2010 IS AMY WINEHOUSES!!!!
@51 I couldn’t find it in stores either, and I live in Los Angeles. I turned towards Amazon.com to get a copy (physical). It only ran me about $8.99 with out the tax (which I love). I can’t force myself to purchase an album on iTunes. I just have to have a physical copy. Is there anyone here that can convince me to start?
Whoever is criticizing this talented singer… I wonder what bs you like to listen to? Seriously, it’s a shame that people don’t like real music anymore, just a gimmick. What has our world come to? Just because she’s not damn near naked on single covers and in magazines, and trying to come out with hardcore or “metaphor” songs… people wanna say that she’s not talented or isn’t good enough? I absolutely love “It Kills Me” the other songs disappointed me a whole lot. I wish she would have more deep and emotional ballads like “It Kills Me” but nonetheless, this female is extremely talented. Too bad she won’t make it, due to the bubblegum brainwashed music fans.