It’s not merely enough to declare yourself a diva. Indeed, any fauxfox can wiggle and prance while lip-synching insipid lyrics to an already familiar beat, but it takes real artistry to construct a new stylistic vanguard in soul, with the release of her debut disc Where I’m Goin’. Canadian chanteuse Melanie Durrant introduces the world to her unique, writing, arrangements, vocal production and edgy sound.

Joining the ranks of such rocking sisters as Dionne Farris and Joi, yet not sounding quite like anyone who has come blaring out of your radio before, this Toronto native has had music on her mind since she was a small child. “My mother is also a professional singer, explains Melanie, I can remember when she would bring home sheet music to learn her songs, and I would stand next to her and sing along, Sometimes if it wasn’t in a bar she would take me to the shows, it was then I knew I wanted to be a singer. Years later when her mother performed throughout the U.S. in a Tina Turner tribute review it was her baby girl who provided the gut-bucked backgrounds. “I learned so much about showmanship from my mother, says Melanie. “I had always known I wanted to be a singer, but my mother taught me how to be a professional.

In addition to performing with my mother Melanie also stunned the Toronto underground with her style at a regional all-woman showcase known as Honey Jam. Like her friend Jill Scott, the multi-talented artist was also featured performer in the Canadian production of Rent. “My mom called me about the audition, recalls Durrant. I was supposed to perform two songs for the judges but after singing my first song (I’m Your Lady”), I was told I had the gig. Jill and I where in the show together so afterwards we often hung out and went shopping. A year later Melanie decided she had enough. “There is a lot of pressure in the theater, I realized I wanted to get my own stage and be the star of my own show” Citing influences that range from the soulful swoon of Minne Ripperton to the hard-knock of Aerosmith to the “mercy me” melodies of Marvin Gaye, the radiant singer/songwriter has no problems crashing through the wall of sound. Unafraid of being musically adventurous, Melanie Durrant and producer Ramel who constructed the entire album have designed Where I’m Goin to be both meaningful and unpretentious.

Most of the songs on Where I’m Goin” were recorded in a downtown Toronto respected Soundproof Studios, Opening up with a Jazzy upright bass and gritty turntable scratches, the title track and lead single, “Where I’m Goin is the perfect introduction to Durrants talent. A laid back anthem of ambitio for Chrysler’s PT Cruiser commercial,

Full of melodic surprised heavenly harmonies and bold direction, Where I’m Goin’ will definitely contribute to the future of Motown- she embodies the voice attitude and sound that young America has been waiting for.

Durrant says, “I wanted this song to be about your own journey as I strive for success. I’ve always been a determined person, but it would have meant anything if it wasn’t for the people I’ve met and the places I’ve been. “the song caught the attention of Motown president and CEO Kedar Massenburg and in demand video director Little X “Nelly, Sean Paul, Jay Z Fabolous and more” and the unproven Durrant as well as the song were featured in a commercial