Okay...Yes I know it's been a minute since I posted a real post and this is the first for the year, but hear is something to hold you over until I write a real post. One of my favorite performers hands down has to be Fantasia. That's why I want to dedicate a Pictorial Editorial Wednesday to her. Now I had actually sent some of these pictures to another blogger to post on their blog, last fall I believe. Yeah I know what you are thinking...how can you tell another blogger what to put on their blog. Well, Mister Jones of Surrealistically Speaking, had these real awful pictures of Fanny looking like a Sweaty Ghetto Mess, while performing. I don't remember exactly what he said, but I believe it was something on the lines of, "Why does Fantasia always look a mess." Now that may be true uh 50 percent of the time, it's not always true...oh who am I kidding more like 60 maybe even 75 percent of the time. Here are a few pictures taken by celebrity photographer, Atlanta's Derek Blanks. I think she looks amazing. I wish this was the Fantasia we could always get.
So last Monday, premiered the debut episode of Fantasia's new reality show on VH-1, called "Fantasia So Real." Yes, I know what you are thinking, do we really need another reality show...um I'm going to go out on a limb...and say not really. However I get it. It's a way for certain stars to keep their name out their or to put their name BACK out there, if they been gone for a minute. It works for some people are talking about Kandi Burgess from Escape, when she joined "Desperate Housewives of Atlanta." It worked for Monica on her reality show, although I didn't watch it, not sure who actually watched that one either. I watched one episode, she was kinda of boring. It worked also for Tiny of Escape in "Tiny and Toya"...for Pepa from Salt N'Pepa...and so on and so forth. So I get why Fantasia did it. To get people to talk about her, before her new album drops. I think it was a decent idea. Her family is basically another Keyshia Cole family. Her Neiffe and Frankie is her brother Teeny. He's that ghetto mess family that is mooching off her. He will be that talked about character on her show.
Here's the thing. I think Fantasia is an underrated artist. I know she isn't for everybody I get it. I realize not everyone likes her. However I'm always rooting for her. Whenever I see her perform, I get excited, but I silently hope please pull back on the screaming, it's not necessary. It's no secret Fantasia screams...a lot. I think she has a nice voice, when she isn't doing the screaming thing. I get it, she from the church, and some of those who grew up in Pentecostal church, think that screaming is the all way to move your audience and stir their soul. I wish someone would tell her to pull it back and leave it in the church, sometimes.
Now I'm going to post, one of my absolute favorite Fantasia Moments, is this UNFC Tribute to Patti Labelle. Out of all of the performers that night, Jennifer Hudson, Letoya Luckett, Yolanda Adams...uh I can't remember the other performers...Fantasia without a doubt stole the whole show with this performance. Poor Letoya, I don't know whose idea was it for her to sing a Patti Labelle song, but she was struggling. She might do all right with her singles on her albums, but performing live isn't for everyone. Jennifer Hudson, did all right. This was aired in the Fall of 2008, right during her whole family saga, with her family murders. I remember thinking this had to be taped a week or two before all of it happened. I believe she did "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and something else. Anyway no one out performed Fantasia that night. Now if you can't watch this at work, then watch it at home, if not there then at a friends house, library, hell go to Kinkos and watch it, because whatever your opinion on her, good or bad, you will love this. I really haven't met anyone who didn't like this performance. I know some people who can't stand Fantasia, but they had to give her probs on this one. I think she did the best in capturing Patti in this performance. If there was every a docu-picture on Patti Labelle, I think Fantasia should play her. All I have to say is catch point 2:11. That's when I have to throw the towel down and walk out the room, because I'm no good. I'm not going to spoil why, but I will give you one hint Jamie Foxx is not the only singer she has kissed in the mouth, while singing!
Anyway back to our regularly schedule program. Anyway on her reality show, she basically says the same thing Monica said on her first episode. Wrong moves and decision on her last album was made, and that they want to get it right on this album. Now Monica chopped it up to the wrong first single and other things. Fantasia chopped it to poor promotion. I find it ironic both were on the same label at the time. Anyway, I think Fantasia needs to realize her mistake was the wrong singles and videos, plain and simple. I actually like her last album, more than her first really. Just the wrong singles. Now I'm not going into that, but "Hood Boy" was the wrong first single. Maybe more like the third, but not first. There is one song on the album I thought would have been a great single "I Nominate U." It's a very sexy song about nominating you for best lover award. I can picture a hot sexy music video with her in something like this with the red dress and the harp. I think that her last album was just underrated, it is one of my favorites.
Here is one little inside unknown fact. Keyshia Cole's "Let It Go," from her second album featuring Lil' Kim and Missy was originally recorded by Fantasia with Missy Elliot, but was dropped from the album, and later snapped up by Keyshia Cole. Just think what that song could have done for that album.
I think she looks good here. I see red bottom on the soles...you know what that means...Louboutins. Isn't that right, Quincy? I learned from you. In my opinion she looks beat... I think I used that word correctly.
I think it all comes down to poor choices. I think Fantasia just makes bad decisions. Poor decisions from Finance, to Family, to Business moves like missing 50 shows when The Color Purple was on Broadway, to Love Life (She done stole a man from his wife recently, he worked at T Mobile at the time), to style and hair choices. Let's take a look at some of these poor hair choices.
Look at that mess. This is what distracts people from her talent. That mess. It is that Simpleton crap that makes you think she needs a Life Coach, someone to tell her how to live her life. Because obviously she doesn't have someone in her life to tell her, "Fanny...baby...your whole head being red, ain't for everybody. You is a little bit to brown skin for that one!" Yes, I said it! Hell it's not for all light skin people, hell no not for her complexion. She got 6 people living in her house not one could tell her the skunk look isn't in, you ook like a fool going to the Grammy's with that. You are an American Idol, not Bama Idol. For you who don't know what Bama means, where I'm from that's when you are not only Ghetto, but Country too.
See I can go for this hairstyle. She needs the people who styled her for this shoot on a regular basis...Hair by Deaudra Metzger, celebrity stylist Shun Nelson, make-up artist Saisha Beecham, and nails by Terrence Terry.
I usually love black and white,but this is my least favorite from the shoot. Although I don't think she plays the harp, nor the trumpett, let alone the tuba. Can y'all picture her in somebody's marching band, doing the Fantasia strut,playing the tuba.
F.Y.I. did y'all know she hadn't gotten her GED yet? I thought she got that years ago, when she wrote the book and made the movie of her life. She supposedly gets it on her show. What has she been doing all this time?!
5 comments:
Fantasia is just country. No way around all that. Plus she's the type that doesn't care what other people think or say about her. That could be a good or bad think. I agree about her last album. I still play it from time to time. Very underrated but Hood Boy was the wrong choice for a single. I'm still mad at Tasia for dying her hair red. And let's not talk about all the tats.
Fantasia should be just as huge as some of the other Idols like Carrie Underwood. Just as huge as Beyonce. Fantasia is a SANGER!
I am a die-hard Fantasia fan and because in my opinion the Internet, specifically bloggers have not been good to her so I usually skip them when I see them in my emails. However, as bloggers go your assessment and information of and on Fantasia has been 95% accurate. I just have to say this before I go on, she did not miss 50 shows when with the "Color Purple." Yes she did miss some and that was due to medical problems, which I am sure you know about. As she has said who would hire someone back who had missed so much work? Moving on.
I agree with you in that her last CD was really good. In my opinion way on the other side of the spectrum from "Free Yourself." Personally I thought "Hood Boy" was brilliant but like you said should not have been a first single. However, if anyone else had recorded that song it would have been a hit. That's enough about that.
I think folks impose a different set of standards for Fantasia. I love the fact that she is true to herself and is not pretentious. She's genuine and does her own thing. This seems to upset some because she does not readily, easily conform. We all screw up and make mistakes. Unfortunately for her, hers are out in the open.
It seems like she is off to a better start this time around. She seems to be taking charge of her career and that's a good thing.
I love the black and white picture. She looks like a beautiful African American Barbie. Finally, while I love to hear Fantasia sing you are right, someone needs to tell her to cut back on the screaming. She screams on key but sometimes it is really too much and takes away from her beautiful voice. Maybe this year will be her year. I really hope so.
I KEEP defending Fantasia to people. I think she needs to do the early Whitney route and sit next to Clive and let him handle her image and choices. Cuz that heffa can blow!
Can't say that I've given Fantasia much attention, but she is certainly popular amongst the students and by all means my friend George loves sistah gurl.
There are times she looks good and then of course there are times when a stylist is greatly needed.
I think she's an interesting character. Like someone said before, your assessment of her was pretty on-point. I'm glad her reality show isn't on BET; at least she'll have a LITTLE more of the mainstream audience watching her. I can't wait for this new CD to drop!!
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