Melanie Fiona - It Kills Me

A skilled soul singer can evoke a wide variety of emotions through his or her vocals, but it takes a special kind of talent to wring catharsis out of rock-bottom desperation.  With newly-leaked album cut It Kills Me, Melanie Fiona demonstrates that sunny jams like Give It to Me Right and Ay Yo are only the beginning of what she has to offer—here, she dives headfirst into stormy emotional waters, wondering whether she’s out of her mind as she pleads with a man who she loves despite his treating her like trash.  Though it’s clear the situation Fiona describes can only lead to more heartache, the singer rises above the bleak subject matter with the help of coproducers Jay Fenix and Andrea Martin, who back her anguished vocals with a sweeping, string-drenched beat (Martin also steps up to the mic to deliver background “Oooh‘s on the chorus).  If you’re going through tough times or simply enjoy raw, emotional performances, this is most definitely your jam.  For retro-informed soul cuts to suit any mood, pick up a copy of Fiona’s debut album, The Bridge when it drops this fall.