“How do I look, how do I look?” jokes Joe, strolling into the room at Kedar Entertainment's New York offices, suited in an eye-catching bright red dinner jacket and swirling a glass of ‘adult apple juice’. We’re here to talk about his most recent release, Signature; the R&B singer’s second independent album following his prior six studio albums released on Jive Records.
It's been a long journey to The Bridge for Canadian songstress Melanie Fiona, one that's taken her across the world. I ask how London matches up to all of the cities she's visited while virtually living out of her suitcase. “I love it! If I could live and work here I would.” ...Over her hometown Toronto? “Well, I can't live AND work in Toronto...” she responds, addressing something I was preparing to discuss later in the interview; Canada's sparse black music scene. While Toronto has a plethora of diverse urban talent, the opportunities for them to penetrate the mainstream Canadian music industry is almost non-existent.