Melanie Fiona

My parents leaving a third world country to a first world country and building from nothing - that's really inspiring to me and it's influenced me in a positive way.

Surround yourself with positive people.

Once I started performing I knew that's what I wanted to do with my life. But you have to work really hard to be a performer.

The true essence of fashion is being able to reinvent yourself with what you have.

The social networking sites are such good way to keep in touch with your fans, it's quick and simple and it keeps your fans interested in what you're doing.

I am a bit of a hopeless romantic. I really do have a faith and a belief in love, and when I love, I love hard.

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.

When you're with your family you're with them and when you're working you're doing that. I definitely try to separate the time when I'm working and when I have my personal time.

Canada had the good health-care system and educational system. It was a privilege for me to grow up there.

I consider myself more of an international artist than I do a one-territory artist, which I think is a blessing.

I'm a first-generation Canadian.