Grammy-nominated newcomer Melanie Fiona will perform this Sunday at Miami’s fifth annual Jazz in the Gardens concert at Sun Life Stadium.

I spoke recently with the Canadian-born, Guyanese singer-songwriter who says there isn’t one label that describes her sound so she calls it Pop Soul. “It has the soul of the old school and the feel of popular music,” she says. It’s a bridge of genres and eras.”

That explains the title of her debut album, The Bridge, which thus far has produced two hot singles, “Give It To Me Right” and “It Kills Me”.

Here’s what Melanie had to say about the Grammy nomination and her career so far.

How did it feel to be nominated for a Grammy for your first album, The Bridge?

MF: It’s incredible. To know that the Grammy committee recognized me in the vocal category is a dream come true. As a new artist, I was so happy I cried. I am so excited about the possibilities. If I can do this so early in my career the possibilities are endless. I never dreamed of being famous in any way. I just knew I wanted to sing.

As a single, independent woman, I was bothered by the lyrics “I don’t need to be on my own” in “It Kills Me”, but you sing that song with such passion, does that passion come from personal experience?

MF: The girl who sings “It Kills Me” is the same girl who sings “Give It To Me Right”. Each song represents a side of women. We’d be lying to ourselves and the rest of the world if we said we’ve never been broken down or vulnerable. Those are the moments that help us become strong and independent women. I’ve been in relationships where I was afraid to be my myself, so dependent on love and what I thought it was with the wrong person, I totally shifted my perception of life and what I wanted for myself. It’s a tough thing. I grew up with a such a strong mother, but I found myself in relationships where I said, “This is not right this is not who I am.” Everybody’s been there when you know you’re in love with the wrong person but you couldn’t leave.

Did you write any of the songs on the album?

I wrote and co-wrote. I wrote both “Give it to Me Right” and “It Kills Me” with (co-producer) Andrea Martin. We sat in a room, spoke about life, spoke about our experiences. Working with a songwriter was a new thing for me. Previously, I was doing all my music on my own. It was great experience for me to share my story, to share my feelings with somebody who could help me express them lyrically.

There is lot of variety among the 12 tracks on The Bridge, which sample songs from as far back as the 1960s. “Please Don’t Go” samples from “Jimmy Mack” a pop-soul song by Martha and the Vandellas; “Monday Morning” sounds like Hall and Oates’ “Maneater”; “Give it to Me Right”, my favorite song on the album, samples from The Zombies’ “Time of the Season”, and “Ay Yo” has a Caribbean vibe. Still you definitely make each song your own. Who came up with the concept to have so many different sounds on the album?

MF: It was a very organic, very natural, very unplanned thing. It was the point that it was allowing me to display and express all of my differences in culture, heritage, the music I grew up listening to. I could sing all of these different songs because I’ve lived all of these different characters and feelings. I’m not one of those girls. I’m all of those girls. I’m not one of those cultures. I’m all of those cultures. That’s why the album’s called The Bridge. It bridges cultures, it bridges, genres, it bridges people through music.

You are Canadian-born but your parents are Guyanese. How have these cultures influenced your music?

My dad played lots of soca, calypso and reggae. Heritage is a big part of who I am. I grew up traditionally around all West Indian people, but I’m first-generation Canadian.

What can we expect on the next album?

I’m extremely excited. I feel like the diversity on this album allows me to go anywhere I want to on the next album. I’ve got some great ideas and I can’t wait to get in the studio.

What can we expect Sunday?

Expect a live high-energy show. Expect to live the songs on the album in person through emotional highs and lows. It’s fun, it’s energetic, it’s sexy. I love to perform I hope people are there to have a good time and celebrate good music.