Melanie Fiona dishes new music, fashion and Whitney Houston…

Canadian born singer, Melanie Fiona recently chatted with The Huffington Post about her new album, touring with Kanye West and her fashion obsessions.

The “It Kills Me” vocalist is excited about the release of her second album, The MF Life, and shares why her mother is her biggest inspiration.

Check out Ms. Fiona in her own words:

What does The MF Life mean?
It’s totally open to interpretation. It’s whatever it means to you. For me, it’s really the dynamics of love. I think that the mentality of The MF Life is a concept about life: living it, enjoying it, making every day count, riding the wave of the ups and downs, and finding the balance and beauty in between. I’ve really grown as a songwriter and as a singer, so I hope people really feel that.

Who are your personal fashion icons?
Diana Ross, for sure — she’s a goddess! I think Diana Ross and even Chaka Khan embody the bohemian and couture side of me in that era. And now more recently, I really love Gwen Stefani. She’s able to be a tomboy and be sexy at the same time. Oh, and also Solange Knowles and Cassie. They have great style!

What do you splurge on?
Shoes! I think I have over 300 pairs. But I buy with classic in mind. I rarely buy a shoe that is completely specific to a time and outfit. I generally tend to spend money on good shoes that can go with everything. That’s something I really want to start expressing through my fashion sense. It’s not realistic or smart to wear a pair of shoes once and never wear them again. The true essence of fashion is being able to reinvent yourself with what you have.

Here is the video of the first single, 4am from her sophomore album, The MF Life due in stores March 20th

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Click here for the full interview and hot pictures of Melanie Fiona