Losing her voice taught Melanie Fiona to speak up for herself

CBC

2 days ago

When Melanie Fiona lost her voice in 2012, she was completely terrified. She had just won two Grammys, she was touring with massive names like Alicia Keys and Kanye West, and suddenly her biggest source of creative expression and income was gone. She was burned out, and her body was forcing her to quit.
"It really made me take a pause and say, 'Wow, you're just going on autopilot'," Fiona says in an interview with Q guest host Talia Schlanger. "And that put me on the path of learning to say no, for your well being."
After years of constantly performing and recording, Fiona realized she was neglecting her personal life. Her success was often at the cost of not only her health, but also her time with the people she loves.
"It was a whirlwind of excitement…. Every time another level was achieved, it was just like, 'Is this really happening? Is this my life?'," Fiona remembers. "But it comes with a lot of sacrifice…. I think about the birthday parties that I missed with my family, celebrations, anniversaries, my grandmother's funeral in that time."
Melanie Fiona says her break gave her some much-needed space to get in touch with her spirituality, start a family, and begin living her life with mindfulness and gratitude.
"It was the awakening I needed to think about my life holistically, and not just as a career-driven person," says Fiona. "It's, 'Who do I wanna be in this world? How do I want to make people feel? What do I want to create that's gonna bring more inspiration and healing to myself and others?'... In retrospect, the journey is perfect."
Fully recharged from her hiatus, Melanie Fiona is unleashing her powerful voice once again on her new EP Say Yes. She's ready to affirm what's possible again, without putting herself aside.
" It's a mantra that I want people to consider for themselves. Like, 'What is on the other side of saying yes?'," Fiona explains. "Because you've done the work, to deserve that right to say yes in a free space.… And that's the space I made it in. In joy, and freedom, and happiness."
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Melanie Fiona says her fans are happy to see her return to her classic R&B roots, and she's excited for new fans to discover her too.
"It's just been nothing but positive," says Fiona. "I just love that people still want to hear more from me. And I love that it's also a reminder for new people, who are discovering the project and me as an artist, that there's a whole catalog to discover and it's good.
"And it's stood the test of time," Fiona says. "I'm so grateful.… I still get to do what I love, with a full scope of having a life now."
The full interview with Melanie Fiona is