After a 13-year hiatus since her 2012 album The MF Life, Toronto-born R&B songstress Melanie Fiona makes a compelling return along with her newest EP, Say Sure, launched on April 4, 2025. Recognized for emotive hits like “It Kills Me” and “4AM,” Fiona’s new venture displays her evolution as an artist and particular person. The journey between albums has been transformative, with Fiona embracing motherhood and private progress.
Say Sure serves as a testomony to Fiona’s renewed confidence and inventive freedom. The title monitor, co-written with SiR and that includes contributions from Thundercat and Chris Dave, encapsulates her journey of embracing change and trusting her intestine. Fiona defined, “’Say Sure’ [the single] is the anchor of this venture as a result of it was the primary tune that I knew was going to be on this venture. It was a should for a lot of causes. It’s probably the most clever piece I’ve ever created.”
Melanie Fiona. Picture: Franco Zulueta.
One other standout monitor, “Do That,” showcases Fiona’s collaboration with acclaimed songwriter James Fauntleroy. The tune’s infectious groove, hypnotizing bass and intimate lyrics delve into the depths of romantic connection, with Fiona expressing awe at her companion’s love: “How did you try this? Is it magic?”
Embracing her newfound independence, Fiona has taken full management of her musical journey. Transitioning to an impartial artist has allowed her to be “within the driver’s seat,” making artistic selections that align along with her imaginative and prescient. In help of her newest EP, Fiona is about to embark on the Say Sure Tour, beginning on Apr. 27 on the Theatre of Residing Arts in Philadelphia. This tour affords followers an intimate expertise, showcasing her evolution as an artist and the depth of her new materials.
Past her musical endeavors, Fiona has expanded her artistic shops by co-hosting the podcast The Mama’s Den, the place she and fellow moms focus on the multifaceted journey of parenthood. This platform has allowed her to attach with audiences on a extra private degree, additional enriching her artistry.
Reflecting on her present path, Fiona shared, “It actually simply all turned about freedom and peace, and prioritizing that. All of it got here collectively directly for me to essentially redefine myself and establish like, ‘what do I need the remainder of my life to appear to be?’”
EBONY: For the reason that final time you launched a full-length venture, 2012’s The MF Life, loads of issues on the planet and in your life have modified. What looks like the most important distinction in the way you’re navigating the music trade?
Melanie Fiona: Now I’m an impartial artist. What I’m experiencing is the acute hands-on method that needs to be concerned if you find yourself an impartial artist. I’ve my eyes on every part. I care a lot about every part. I even have so many different individuals to take care of now in my life as a result of I’m a mother. There’s a fantastic stability—and I by no means actually like to make use of “stability” ’trigger it’s not an actual factor. It’s by no means actually 50/50. But it surely’s discovering my very own rhythm in it.
I feel the factor that I’ve now that possibly I didn’t have earlier than is freedom and autonomy to do it how I need to do it. Not evaluating myself to an expectation of a model of what I as soon as was. I already did that. I’ve already been that. It’s, “What do I need it to appear to be now? And what do I need to say proper now?” That’s what this venture represents. It represents the journey of the place I’ve been and the artwork of follow-through.
The enterprise mannequin of what’s profitable has modified. You’re conscious you’re a unique individual now than you as soon as had been. Is that one thing that got here by means of being a guardian and being assured in who you are actually?
All of it got here collectively directly. Once I determined to discover what the impartial route would appear to be for me, I additionally turned a mother. There was loads of shifting required of me personally and professionally. Turning into a mother actually made me take into consideration how I need to work within the music trade. All of it turned about freedom, peace and prioritizing that.
Now being the one in cost and dealing with every part, how do you discover that stability of staying true to the music whereas nonetheless recognizing it’s a enterprise and eager to hit sure metrics—touring, playlisting, and many others.? How do you navigate the music versus the enterprise?
It’s about staff. I needed to rebuild and restructure my enterprise, discover new staff members, create new vitality and work with individuals aligned with how I need to do enterprise and what the objective is. How I need to work and be a mother and a spouse – not a machine. It’s about alignment and dealing with individuals who share my morals, vitality and function. It makes it a lot extra enjoyable and pleasurable.
Let’s speak about making ready for the tour, reconnecting along with your followers on this capability. The place is your frame of mind as you prepare to return on the street?
It’s gratitude—gratitude that persons are excited to see me, that I nonetheless have vitality and well being to do it, and help from my household and youngsters so I could be a full model of myself. There’s additionally nervousness. With such an extended break between initiatives, there are individuals who haven’t found me but and individuals who have been ready. I feel my presentation—how I need them to see and really feel me—is sort of like a first-time factor for each of us. Having the ability to headline, current my music the way in which I’ve all the time wished, having a catalog individuals love, is an interesting mixture of excessive nervousness, excessive pleasure, gratitude, humility, ego.
You simply talked about your children supporting you. Are they going to come back on tour with you? How does that work?
My son is at school. I’ve a 9-year-old and a 3-year-old. They received’t come to each date, however they’ll come out. This would be the longest I’ve been away from my children since I’ve had each of them. I’m bracing myself for that, however I’m additionally excited for them to see what I do. I feel that’s essential for them to know who I’m as an artist, as their mom and as an individual on this world.
That feels like stability to me or the closest you’re gonna get.
The closest I’m gonna get [laughs].
You embrace actual instrumentation—actual trumpets, actual bass. Can individuals count on that fullness on stage?
Oh yeah. Even once I do a DJ present or a monitor set, I’ve a stay musician with me as a result of the factor of stay musicianship is magical. It fills the room. Going out with drums, having an actual expertise, will all the time be a part of what I do. I recognize that the music I make requires that. If it had been as much as me, I’d have a 20-piece band on stage—horn part, strings, every part.
“Do That” personally is the standout tune on the EP.
Sure, I’ve to present kudos to the songwriter I labored with on that document, James Fauntleroy. He is without doubt one of the best songwriters of our time and considered one of my very first mates once I began doing music. He confirmed up for me on this season, and it’s a blessing. It’s a present to work with mates and create superior issues.
How is it totally different this time round, having these friendships, being within the studio, sharing your life?
Excluding Andrea Martin—might she relaxation in peace—that is probably the most enjoyable I’ve had within the studio. Andrea wrote “Gone and By no means Coming Again,” “It Kills Me,” most of my first album The Bridge. Working with mates, there’s an awe and mutual respect. With songs like “Say Sure,” you’ve bought SiR, Thundercat, Charlie Burrell, Chris Dave, Andre Harris—individuals I’ve admired for years who confirmed as much as contribute. Akil Henry, Eddie, guys from Toronto who perceive the place I’m from for “I Select You.”
It was enjoyable. That’s what I need individuals to really feel after they hear: I’m in an excellent place. I really feel constructive, healed, enthusiastic about life. I really feel beloved on in the best method. I need individuals to really feel the affirmation in these songs. Plenty of good tempo, good vibes.
Pertaining to The Mama’s Den: that’s been an enormous platform. You joined through the pandemic and have become the fourth host. Individuals have gotten to know you in a different way than as a musician. What about that have looks like this new chapter of music and enterprise?
It reaffirms the significance of connection and group. As an impartial or main artist, your fan base—individuals who make investments and present up—is every part if you wish to do that as a enterprise. The podcast gave me one other outlet to make use of my voice, which I consider is my function. I don’t restrict my voice to only music anymore; I exploit it wherever it’s wanted. If somebody desires me to talk, I’ll converse.
What made you determine to call the EP after the “Say Sure” monitor? What was it about that tune that made you’re feeling it encapsulates the venture?
“Say Sure” is the anchor of this venture as a result of it was the primary tune I knew needed to be on it. It’s probably the most clever piece I’ve ever created. This tune is seven minutes lengthy in its entirety. It’s a magic and a boldness individuals might be afraid of now as a result of every part’s fast. Albums are 23 minutes, no bridges. I wished to present individuals one thing to take a seat with and really feel, get misplaced in, smoke to, make like to, drive to, meditate to—no matter they need—inside that seven minutes. Lyrically, it’s an open love letter to my now husband. It’s in regards to the time we realized, “You’re my individual,” however we would have liked to go for it.
What are you actively saying sure to, and what are you actively saying no to?
I’m saying sure to permitting the universe to shock me. I’m saying sure to understanding the expertise, hours, years of sacrifice and laborious work I’ve put in will bloom into the life I envision. I’m saying no to taking part in something that makes me really feel dangerous, icky or exhausted from an brisk standpoint—something low-vibration. I’m saying no to working with individuals not aligned with what I need to do or how I need to do it. I’m saying no to habits that now not serve me. I’m saying sure to being the fullest model of myself, unapologetically guided by Spirit and God. The approval of my kids is all I would like.
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