A child of Guyanese immigrant parents, Melanie Fiona grew up in Toronto. Playing a Whitney Houston song on the guitar as his daughter sang along, Fiona's father realized she had potential as a vocalist. In 2008, the Canadian soul singer with Caribbean roots opened for Kanye West on his European tour. The following year, she released her debut album, The Bridge. Connecting cultures, genders, age groups and musical genres, the 13 tracks draw on everything from classic soul to reggae. The album's first single, Give It to Me Right, went to number 36 on Billboard's Canadian Hot 100.