For starters, I am a fan of Fantasia Barrino. A big fan. As I followed her progress as a contestant on American Idol, I basked in the glow of her angelic, high-pitched vocal tone and her ability to tear into a cover song, bending and rendering it into a creation which bore her own unique stamp. I soon also began to notice the parallels between her and Stephanie Mills, one of my all time favorite, albeit unsung singers. Like Stephanie, Fantasia didn't posess a particularly strong pop/crossover "look" and I began to wonder "What are they going to do with her", should she indeed win the competition. I always thought 'Tasia sounded very much like Stephanie, and that it would be great to hear her particular vocal style represented at the top of the charts again. Like Stephanie, Fantasia has also enjoyed successful recording and Broadway acclaim (The Color Purple), although Stephanie achieved her accolades on Broadway (The Wiz) before embarking on a recording career. However, this is where the similarities end.
Fantasia did go on to win American Idol and soon enjoyed a brief, but fruitful stint under the management of Simon Cowell's 19 Management. She then released a slew of R&B chart-topping singles amidst confirmed rumors that she was functionally illiterate. She wrote a book about it. She made a Lifetime movie about it. We read, watched and identified with her struggles. She never apologized for being thought of as "country" or "too hood". She was keeping it real. Photos of her walking several red carpets reflected her "around-the- way style", which was refreshing and much needed in the tarnished brass age of pre-fab, so-called R&B "divas".
For a hot minute.
Then came the nasty, jail house tattoos which began to crawl up and down her arms and legs, and her tired fashion sense which screamed clearance rack at Strawberry. In my opinion, black ink tattoos on darker skin looks down right dirty and especially vile on women. Leave that thug ass shit to Tupac and Fitty, boo boo. Y'all know what I'm talking about. Her hairstyles looked like tragic ghetto outtakes from the BizzyBeez Hair N Nailz Spot in Backphuck, Tennesee. Is this what I had to look forward to from our newest, promising black star? Who was/is advising this woman? Did she just not get that along with fame comes a certain expectation to grow as an artist? I'm not saying she needs to forget her roots or sell her soul. Many artists have grown artistically and flourished by diversifying elements of their look and repertoire throughout their careers. For example, look how far Mary J. Blige has come from cracking a 40 during an interview to doing duets with Andrea Bocelli, yet she still retains her realness; She just had to refine some of that bad hometraining. Not every performance calls for constantly digging your intestines out, growling through a song, running up the ailses and hopping around the stage like you just showered in hot sauce, all the while flinging sweat and hot hair grease on the audience. Sure, when it works, getting down to the pure essence of soul and "sanging" is what it's all about. But please leave all that laying on the ground for the one person who can make it work. Patti LaBelle. It's her move and she uses it sparingly. And dare I say, more tastefully.
Now let's get to the crux of my missive. Last week, Fantasia was invited to perform at the Jackie Robinson Annual Awards Dinner, which was held at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. The event was attended by, judging from photos, a rather formal, sedate, mature and not to mention, mixed crowd. Lord, this chile showed up in a faux latex hoe-wrap mini dress designed by famewhore Kim Kardashian! Off the rack. From BeBe's. It appears that she then proceeded to take off her damn shoes and bounce from table to table, screaming her head off, much to the laughter and in some cases, consternation of the guests (see photo above).
I can't take it.
Again, I really like Fanny Mae, and I want nothing more than for her to succeed and grow into her considerable talents. I've followed her show on VH1, Fantasia For Real and hot mess that it is (don't even get me started on The Matter Of Teeny - oh snap, I smell a spin-off!), her humanity and warm, kind spirit breaks through. I want to one day experience her joy at accepting a Tony, or maybe even an Oscar after a soul-nourishing performance, dressed in the finest, most elegant attire befitting the regal African Queen that I know she is. I'd like for her trials and tribulations to dissipate, leaving her pure of spirit, which she could then project into song, for us, her fans. I want her to find the courage to discover new management and mentors who will strongly guide her and help her to overcome the basic obstacles which are preventing her from taking her career to the next level. She doesn't need to change her core values or beliefs. But show business is a game. She needs to learn how to "know her audience" and tailor her performances to fit various venues. In other words, to step up her own damn game, if she wants to continue to play.
And I don't want to see any more madness from her like this, at a formal event:
Finally, I'd like to refer to three quotes from three very esteemed cultural sources:
"I question your taste level".
Nina Garcia, Project Runway
"I'm going to give you one last chance to impress me. Now the time has come....for you to lipsync......for your LIVES!"
RuPaul, RuPaul's Drag Race
"Girl, sit down and stop scaring those white people!"
Mother
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