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. Identified for emotive hits like “It Kills Me” and “4AM,” Fiona’s new mission displays her evolution as an artist and particular person. The journey between albums has been transformative, with Fiona embracing motherhood and private development.
Say Sure serves as a testomony to Fiona’s renewed confidence and creative 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 mission as a result of it was the primary tune that I knew was going to be on this mission. It was a should for a lot of causes. It’s essentially the most suave 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 accomplice’s love: “How did you do 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 inventive 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 gives 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 inventive retailers by co-hosting the podcast The Mama’s Den, the place she and fellow moms talk about the multifaceted journey of parenthood. This platform has allowed her to attach with audiences on a extra private stage, 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 without delay for me to essentially redefine myself and establish like, ‘what do I would like the remainder of my life to appear like?’”
EBONY: For the reason that final time you launched a full-length mission, 2012’s The MF Life, a whole lot 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 intense hands-on method that needs to be concerned if you end up an impartial artist. I’ve my eyes on all the pieces. I care a lot about all the pieces. I even have so many different folks to look after now in my life as a result of I’m a mother. There’s a effective steadiness—and I by no means actually like to make use of “steadiness” ’trigger it’s not an actual factor. It’s by no means actually 50/50. Nevertheless it’s discovering my very own rhythm in it.
I believe 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 would like it to appear like now? And what do I need to say proper now?” That’s what this mission 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 special individual now than you as soon as have been. Is that one thing that got here by being a father or mother and being assured in who you at the moment are?
All of it got here collectively without delay. After I determined to discover what the impartial route would appear like for me, I additionally turned a mother. There was a whole lot of shifting required of me personally and professionally. Changing 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 all the pieces, how do you discover that steadiness of staying true to the music whereas nonetheless recognizing it’s a enterprise and desirous to hit sure metrics—touring, playlisting, and so on.? How do you navigate the music versus the enterprise?
It’s about workforce. I needed to rebuild and restructure my enterprise, discover new workforce members, create new vitality and work with folks aligned with how I need to do enterprise and what the purpose 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 goal. It makes it a lot extra enjoyable and fulfilling.
Let’s speak about making ready for the tour, reconnecting together with your followers on this capability. The place is your frame of mind as you prepare to return on the highway?
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 kids so I is usually a full model of myself. There’s additionally anxiousness. With such a protracted break between initiatives, there are individuals who haven’t found me but and individuals who have been ready. I believe my presentation—how I would like them to see and really feel me—is nearly like a first-time factor for each of us. With the ability to headline, current my music the way in which I’ve all the time wished, having a catalog folks love, is an interesting mixture of excessive anxiousness, excessive pleasure, gratitude, humility, ego.
You simply talked about your children supporting you. Are they going to return on tour with you? How does that work?
My son is in class. I’ve a 9-year-old and a 3-year-old. They gained’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 believe that’s essential for them to grasp who I’m as an artist, as their mom and as an individual on this world.
That seems like steadiness 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 folks anticipate that fullness on stage?
Oh yeah. Even once I do a DJ present or a monitor set, I’ve a dwell musician with me as a result of the component of dwell 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 admire that the music I make requires that. If it have been as much as me, I’d have a 20-piece band on stage—horn part, strings, all the pieces.
“Do That” personally is the standout tune on the EP.
Sure, I’ve to provide kudos to the songwriter I labored with on that document, James Fauntleroy. He is likely one of the best songwriters of our time and one in all 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—could she relaxation in peace—that is essentially 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 obtained SiR, Thundercat, Charlie Burrell, Chris Dave, Andre Harris—folks 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 would like folks to really feel after they hear: I’m in an excellent place. I really feel optimistic, healed, enthusiastic about life. I really feel beloved on in the suitable approach. I would like folks to really feel the affirmation in these songs. Plenty of good tempo, good vibes.
Referring 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 otherwise 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 all the pieces 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 goal. I don’t restrict my voice to simply music anymore; I take advantage of it wherever it’s wanted. If somebody needs 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 mission?
“Say Sure” is the anchor of this mission as a result of it was the primary tune I knew needed to be on it. It’s essentially the most suave piece I’ve ever created. This tune is seven minutes lengthy in its entirety. It’s a magic and a boldness folks could be afraid of now as a result of all the pieces’s fast. Albums are 23 minutes, no bridges. I wished to provide folks one thing to sit down 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 concerning 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 unhealthy, icky or exhausted from an brisk standpoint—something low-vibration. I’m saying no to working with folks 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 youngsters is all I would like.