Melanie Fiona
Feb 27, 2012
Melanie Fiona is a bright, young R&B artist and Kanye West protégé from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Born Melanie Hall, the singer grew up in inner-city Toronto to Guayanese parents. Fiona developed a passion for music at an early age, influenced by groups and artists such as the Ronettes and Whitney Houston. It's no surprise, then, that she offers a throwback retro sound to complement her immaculate voice. Though she has been active in the music industry since 2002, her first recorded release came with Reggae Gold 2008, in the form of the track "Somebody Come Get Me." The track was instantly acclaimed as a highlight, as well as a fan favorite on the album, and it helped her get signed to Universal Motown. Fiona released her debut single, "Give It to Me Right," which samples "Time of the Season" by the Zombies. Fiona's dynamic vocals propelled the single to the Top 20 on the Canadian Hot 100 and number 41 on the UK Singles Chart, in addition to charting on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart. Her debut album, The Bridge, was released in the fall of 2009, and was a Top 25 album on the Canadian Album Chart. The album which was spearheaded by Andrea Martin, and its lead single also charted in the U.K. and Italy. She is also known for being the opening act on Kanye West's European tour in 2008, which is notable because she hadn't even released an album at the time of the tour.
The second single, "It Kills Me", became her breakout song on the Billboard Hot 100 where it entered 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. In 2012 Fiona won the Grammy Awards for Best Traditional R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for the song "Fool for You" with Cee Lo Green.
In 2011 Hallim began recording her second studio album. The lead single was entitled "Gone and Never Coming Back." The single peaked at 37 on US R&B chart becoming her second highest peaking song on the R&B chart so far. On August 30, 2011, Fiona released her second single, "4 AM" from her second studio album, The MF Life, released on September 6, 2011. "4am" peaked on the US R&B chart at #23, the song was about a lover who had gone out and was cheating on her. The album is scheduled to be released on March 20, 2012.