Melanie Fiona music videos

Melanie Fiona Hallim (born July 4, 1983) is a Canadian recording artist from Toronto, Ontario. She was born to Guyanese immigrant parents (mixed with African, Indian, and Portuguese ethnicities) 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.

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]
[edit] 2002–2010: Career beginnings and The Bridge

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 "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] 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]
[edit] 2010-present: "The MF Life"

In a July 4, 2010 interview with music blog Sound-Savvy.com, Melanie Fiona announced work on her sophomore album The MF Life, which she describes as have a "stadium soul" sound. She also mentioned that she is working with John Legend on the new album. No release date was mentioned.[14] "Gone and Never Coming Back" is set to be the first single. The single will release to all digital retailers on January 11, 2011.

Melanie Fiona performed the Canadian National Anthem at the 2011 NBA All-Star Game held on February 20, 2011.[15]
[edit] 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]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
Year Album details Peak chart positions
CAN US US R&B[19] GER SWI UK
2009 The Bridge

* First studio album
* Release date: June 26, 2009
* Label: SRC/Universal Motown

25 27 4 35 3 98
2011 The MF Life[20]

* Second studio album
* Release date: July, 2011 [21]
* Label: SRC/Universal Motown

To be released
[edit] 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" — — — — — — — 53 — The MF Life
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]

[edit] Awards and nominations

* BET Awards[25]
o 2010, Best New Artist (nominated)
o 2010, Best Female R&B Artist (nominated)
o 2010, BET Centric Award (nominated)
o 2010, Video of the Year "It Kills Me" (nominated)

* Grammy Awards
o 2010, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "It Kills Me" (nominated)[7]
o 2011, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "Wake Up! Everybody" with John Legend, The Roots & Common (nominated)

* NAACP Image Awards
o 2010, Outstanding New Artist (nominated)

* Juno Awards
o 2010, R&B/Soul Recording of the Year: The Bridge (nominated)[8]

* Soul Train Music Awards
o 2010, Best New Artist (won)

* Eska Music Awards
o 2010, Best Album: The Bridge (won)

Videos: Melanie Fiona

4AM

Ay Yo

Bang Bang

Give It To Me Right

Gone And Never Coming Back

It Kills Me


	# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
	Videos: Melanie Fiona 4AM Ay Yo Bang Bang Give It To Me Right Gone And Never Coming Back It Kills Me Melanie Fiona Hallim (born July 4, 1983) is a Canadian recording artist from Toronto, Ontario. She was born to Guyanese immigrant parents (mixed with African, Indian, and Portuguese ethnicities) 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. 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] [edit] 2002–2010: Career beginnings and The Bridge 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 "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] 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] [edit] 2010-present: "The MF Life" In a July 4, 2010 interview with music blog Sound-Savvy.com, Melanie Fiona announced work on her sophomore album The MF Life, which she describes as have a "stadium soul" sound. She also mentioned that she is working with John Legend on the new album. No release date was mentioned.[14] "Gone and Never Coming Back" is set to be the first single. The single will release to all digital retailers on January 11, 2011. Melanie Fiona performed the Canadian National Anthem at the 2011 NBA All-Star Game held on February 20, 2011.[15] [edit] 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] [edit] Discography [edit] Studio albums Year Album details Peak chart positions CAN US US R&B[19] GER SWI UK 2009 The Bridge * First studio album * Release date: June 26, 2009 * Label: SRC/Universal Motown 25 27 4 35 3 98 2011 The MF Life[20] * Second studio album * Release date: July, 2011 [21] * Label: SRC/Universal Motown To be released [edit] 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" — — — — — — — 53 — The MF Life 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] [edit] Awards and nominations * BET Awards[25] o 2010, Best New Artist (nominated) o 2010, Best Female R&B Artist (nominated) o 2010, BET Centric Award (nominated) o 2010, Video of the Year "It Kills Me" (nominated) * Grammy Awards o 2010, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "It Kills Me" (nominated)[7] o 2011, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "Wake Up! Everybody" with John Legend, The Roots & Common (nominated) * NAACP Image Awards o 2010, Outstanding New Artist (nominated) * Juno Awards o 2010, R&B/Soul Recording of the Year: The Bridge (nominated)[8] * Soul Train Music Awards o 2010, Best New Artist (won) * Eska Music Awards o 2010, Best Album: The Bridge (won)
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