Melanie Fiona

Melanie Fiona is a new singer signed to Jay-Z’s new label, ROC Nation, joining Mickey Factz and Wale as recent signees. The young songstress was born in Toronto to Guyanese parents who raised her in Canada and Guyana listening to Sam Cooke, Bob Marley, The Drifters, and a lot of “old soul music”. Today she cites Lauryn Hill, India Arie, and Amy Winehouse as influences in her music. VIBE magazine featured her as one of the NEXT artists in their April issue and Kanye West picked her up to open for him on the European leg of his “Glow In The Dark” tour. Fiona has also shared the stage with Akon, Lupe Fiasco, and Keyshia Cole.

The lead track off of her debut album, The Bridge, to hit the airwaves, “Give It To Me Right”, samples the iconic 1968 hit from The Zombies, “Time of the Season.” The  single has the industry abuzz with veterans like Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, and Talib Kweli remixing the song. She earned rave reviews from the artist showcase ROC Nation held for her at the Canal Room in SoHo back in February. One attendee commented, “When Miss Fiona hit the stage she had everyone’s attention, especially since she had a full band. Now that’s major for someone so new.”

Melanie Fiona

Her goal with music and her album is to bridge the gap between ethnicities, genders, and age groups in which she achieves by sampling soulful sounds and writing lyrics that speak to this generation. Fiona is currently living out of her suitcase promoting the new album and will be lighting up stages this summer. If you can, check her out at the Essence Music Festival, July 3-5 in New Orleans alongside Anita Baker, Beyonce, Ne-Yo, and many others.

When have you ever peeped a fly sister smashing classic records all night long with shine, authority and pure flair?  Don’t trip, that baddest mamma jamma is Bay Area veteran lady DJ Zita, who brings her unforgettable mix of versatility and femininity to the turntables every time she puts needle to vinyl.  Her sound spans the eras and blends genres of body-rockin’ music; she’ll seamlessly segue from boombox classic hip hop to mothership trunk funk, spin smooth R&B treats along with timeless soul heroines and heroes, flip reggae dancehall riddims, throwback to ’80s pop freestyle, all the while rocking a gardenia in her hair and grooving like Prince made that jam especially for her to dance to…and you too will have no choice but move if MamaZita’s on the decks.  Since 2000, the incomparable DJ Zita has shocked dancefloors from the Philippines to Honolulu to New York to Sactown, the Bay Area and back down to LA and San Diego.

From that first brown plastic Fisher-Price record player she rocked her Salt-N-Pepa and Lisa Lisa 12″ singles on as a girl, to over 10 years of training in various forms of dance, to establishing Hawaii’s first all-female DJ collective in 2002 – the URB Magazine-lauded Sisters in Sound, to becoming a staple (and one of few women) in the San Francisco Bay Area club scene, to being the founder and promoter of the Bay Area Sistah Sound (B.A.S.S.), The Bay’s Premier Lady DJ Crew, DJ Zita has been putting it down for hip hop, artistry, and sisterhood, and she continues to grace the game and the wheels of steel with her golden touch.

Above is DJ Zita’s latest mix: WHERE MY LADIES AT? A Tribute to the Queens of True School Hip Hop.

DJ Zita came together with the lovely EyeASage and M.I.S.S. to offer a free exclusive download of the mix! Click HERE or on the image above to download the mix!

We have a lot more on this Bay Area heavyweight, after the jump!

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Linda Nguyen is only 26 but her resumé reads like that of a veteran of the fashion industry. The Orange County, native is currently the women’s designer at Burton, the director of the Ladies Lotto Los Angeles chapter and is the founder/designer, event producer, graphic designer,and ninja for Lovemade—an events company and creative collective who supports other female professionals.

The ladies of Lovemade work on a variety of projects ranging from fashion styling, consulting, events, graphic/apparel design, and music. The team consists of designers, make-up artists, hair stylists, marketing/event coordinators, djs, photographers, and fashion consultants.

After the jump, see a time line of the journey Linda took to get to where she is today. Linda also shares with us a preview of the Fall ‘08 collection she designed for B by Burton, plus a behind the scenes video of the shoot. Jump!

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