Idol 5 - Fantasia Barrino

5. Fantasia Barrino

Season 3, Winner

My lips may be big, but my talent is bigger. Yes, it's one of her famous lines on American Idol. I just love her. Ha!

Let's go back a few years to season three. As you all know, this was my very first season of Idol, and I remember being impressed with Fantasia. She had a pretty unique quality to her voice, and I could tell that she was the sort of contestant that the judges were really looking for. But still, she wasn't that big on my radar. The contestants I was thinking about going into Hollywood were Leah LaBelle, Jennifer Hudson and even Camille Velasco - not really Fantasia Barrino.

I do think, however, Hollywood week changed that a bit. I mean, she gave us one of the most memorable Hollywood auditions which she prefaced with the quote I wrote earlier and yes, she speaks truth! She busted out with an incredible take on Aretha's Think and that really got my attention. So, I wasn't one bit surprised when she slayed the competition the first week of the semifinals. She absolutely earned her place in the Finals!

Believe it or not, at the start of the top 12 Fantasia was below Leah on my list of faves. Fantasia was my third fave, but her and George were fairly competitive in my eyes. But consistency counts for so much, and Fantasia was extremely consistent. Seriously. Every single week it seemed that Fantasia was either the best or second best of the night.

Believe it or not, at the start of the Top 12, Fantasia was below LaBelle, Velasco and Hudson on my list of favorites. But consistency counts for so much, and Fantasia was extremely consistent. Seriously. Every single week, it seemed that Fantasia was either the best or second best of the night. She would almost always pick the perfect song and absolutely nail it. Fantasia has a brilliant understanding of her musicality. I would say a good 90% of the contestants that come on Idol are in serious need of direction, but that cannot be said about Fantasia. She was like a seasoned pro, yet she was just a teenager. Unbelievable! If there was ever someone who epitomized the idea of an American Idol, it is absolutely her. Just ask the judges. Haha.

Now, I think people look beyond foolish when they talk crap about Fantasia and say she's awful or screechy or whatever ridiculous adjective they use. That just shows their ignorance about her and her style. I mean, it's one thing to not be crazy about someone based on personal preference, but you've got to give Fantasia respect. While she isn't the most commercially successful winner, she is possibly the best received critically. Heck, she has got the most Grammy nomination for any Idol contestant. Oh, and all of the who's who of the music industry have been lavishing praises on Fantasia since she won in 2004.  This girl is a star and has earned the respect of America. Really. What an embarrassment that would've been if Diana had beat Fantasia.

Another thing that gets under my skin a bit is when people downplay Fantasia's post-Idol success. No, she hasn't sold as many records as Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood, but she doesn't have the mass audience of the pop or country markets either. She's certainly killing it in her genre though. As I've said, she's been nominated for 7 freakin' Grammy’s, wrote a book, starred in a record-breaking Lifetime movie, starred in a huge Broadway musical, has her own reality show, and sold nearly 3 million albums world-wide. She came from nothing and left a huge dent on the music industry. If people can't see that, they must be blind. Ok, I'm not mad, I'm just saying. Haha.

Fantasia's self-titled sophomore release was probably one of my favorite post-Idol albums that I've heard, although her new album, Back To Me, was also really good. In both albums, her voice was so beautiful and passionate, and she did a terrific job of showing her relevance in modern RnB. And yes, I absolutely loved her live performance of Bore Me on Idol a few seasons ago. Ha! That nitty gritty soul is something I was exposed to growing up, so I got it and loved it! I know a lot of you all just didn't get it. That's fine. Fantasia is a world-class talent that doesn't need everyone's approval. Her natural gift speaks for itself!

Check this out!  

I'm His Only Woman - Fantasia Barrino and Jennifer Hudson


Favorite performance(s): Where to begin? I think that Fantasia, more than any other contestant, has given us the most show stopping performances on Idol. Of course the most famous would be Summertime. This was an absolutely brilliant moment for Fantasia. Every single choice she made in her delivery was flawless, and the emotion really sold it. This performance still ranks as THE all-time best American Idol performance. Really. Fantasia also really lucked out with getting I Believe as her coronation single. Easily my favorite winner's single, and her take on it was perfect. To me, the moment she won was easily the most emotional moment EVER on the show. Yes, I still get teary eyed watching it back. Haha. I have got to mention her other great performances such as Always On My Mind and Chain Of Fools.

Summertime

I Believe

Always On My Mind

Chain Of Fools

I'm His Only Woman - an amazing Fantasia and Jennifer Hudson duet

Bore Me (Yawn) - Idol Performance

Hood Boy

I'm Doin' Me