Fantasia (album)
Encyclopedia
Fantasia is the second studio album by American
singer Fantasia Barrino
, released by J Records
on December 12, 2006.
In its first week of sales, Fantasia entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
chart at number nineteen, with 133,000 discs sold. In June 2007, Fantasia was certified Gold by the RIAA for shipments of 500,000 copies.
returned as one of the writers on the album, joining Big Boi
of Outkast
and Diane Warren
as contributors. Production duo Midi Mafia, best known for their 50 Cent
hit "21 Questions", also contributed five tracks to the project.
The beat for "Baby Makin' Hips" was created by Don Cheegro and Dirty Harry, new producers working under the guidance of Dre & Vidal, producers of Ludacris
' song "War with God". Her second single "When I See U
" peaked at number thirty-two on the Billboard Hot 100
and at number-one for eight weeks on the Urban
charts. The music video for When I See U was shot by Lenny Bass on March 26, in Brooklyn. Fantasia herself recently confirmed that her next single is going to be "Only One U
".
, Tina Turner
and Patti LaBelle
. Rolling Stone
magazine said the album "expands her range, adds some attitude and comes up with some genuine R&B gems." Allmusic found it "a bolder, better album than Free Yourself," adding that it "breaks Barrino free of her American Idol persona, giving her a sound and style that she can build a career upon." PopMatters.com said that "Fantasia is a solid second effort, made above average by that gem of a voice." Many critics also commented that the album's decidedly R&B nature (which translates to a reduced audience) was inevitable due to the lack of crossover success from Barrino's debut. Thomas Inskeep with Stylus magazine praised Fantasia's "rather astounding, multi-octave...voice, capable of the smoothest singing but also heavy on the grit," while at the same time lamenting that she will never be "America’s pop star...She’s too black." He then declared, "Fantasia wasn't meant to be America's pop star, anyway." Sal Cinquemani with Slant Magazine
said that "Fantasia's sophomore effort isn't exactly her Breakaway [Kelly Clarkson's hugely successful second album], but it's certainly a more unified artistic statement than 2004's Free Yourself."
On December 6, 2007, Fantasia garnered three 50th Annual Grammy Award nominations: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “When I See U”, Best Contemporary R&B Album for Fantasia, and Best R&B Song for "When I See U".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
, released by J Records
J Records
J Records was an American record label, owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment, and was distributed through the RCA Music Group.-Company history:...
on December 12, 2006.
In its first week of sales, Fantasia entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart at number nineteen, with 133,000 discs sold. In June 2007, Fantasia was certified Gold by the RIAA for shipments of 500,000 copies.
Recording
Missy ElliottMissy Elliott
Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
returned as one of the writers on the album, joining Big Boi
Big Boi
Antwan André Patton , better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, song-writer, record producer and actor, best known for being a member of American hip hop duo OutKast alongside André 3000. His work in the duo has produced six studio albums. During the duo's hiatus, he and André...
of Outkast
OutKast
Outkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
and Diane Warren
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
as contributors. Production duo Midi Mafia, best known for their 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
hit "21 Questions", also contributed five tracks to the project.
The beat for "Baby Makin' Hips" was created by Don Cheegro and Dirty Harry, new producers working under the guidance of Dre & Vidal, producers of Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
' song "War with God". Her second single "When I See U
When I See U
"When I See U" is a Grammy-nominated R&B song recorded by Fantasia, written by Sam Watters, Louis Biancaniello, Kevin Risto, Waynne Nugent, Janet Sewell and Erika Nuri, and produced by Midi Mafia and Mzmeriq. It is the second single from Fantasia's second album, Fantasia . The song reached #1 on...
" peaked at number thirty-two on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and at number-one for eight weeks on the Urban
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
charts. The music video for When I See U was shot by Lenny Bass on March 26, in Brooklyn. Fantasia herself recently confirmed that her next single is going to be "Only One U
Only One U
"Only One U" is the third and final single off R&B singer Fantasia’s second album, Fantasia . The single entered the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at number seventy-six, just one week after its release. The song peaked at number thirty-six on the same chart. A music video for the song was never...
".
Critical response
Critical response to Fantasia was largely positive, as reviewers praised her vocals and charisma as well as the albums production; she drew multiple comparisons to Aretha FranklinAretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
and Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine said the album "expands her range, adds some attitude and comes up with some genuine R&B gems." Allmusic found it "a bolder, better album than Free Yourself," adding that it "breaks Barrino free of her American Idol persona, giving her a sound and style that she can build a career upon." PopMatters.com said that "Fantasia is a solid second effort, made above average by that gem of a voice." Many critics also commented that the album's decidedly R&B nature (which translates to a reduced audience) was inevitable due to the lack of crossover success from Barrino's debut. Thomas Inskeep with Stylus magazine praised Fantasia's "rather astounding, multi-octave...voice, capable of the smoothest singing but also heavy on the grit," while at the same time lamenting that she will never be "America’s pop star...She’s too black." He then declared, "Fantasia wasn't meant to be America's pop star, anyway." Sal Cinquemani with Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
said that "Fantasia's sophomore effort isn't exactly her Breakaway [Kelly Clarkson's hugely successful second album], but it's certainly a more unified artistic statement than 2004's Free Yourself."
On December 6, 2007, Fantasia garnered three 50th Annual Grammy Award nominations: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “When I See U”, Best Contemporary R&B Album for Fantasia, and Best R&B Song for "When I See U".
Track listing
- "Hood BoyHood Boy"Hood Boy" is the first single from Fantasia Barrino's second album, Fantasia . Produced by Tone Mason, it features a guest appearance from Big Boi from OutKast and has peaked at #21 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart at #3 .The song was written by R&B singer...
" (featuring Big BoiBig BoiAntwan André Patton , better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, song-writer, record producer and actor, best known for being a member of American hip hop duo OutKast alongside André 3000. His work in the duo has produced six studio albums. During the duo's hiatus, he and André...
) – 3:34 (Johnta AustinJohnta AustinJohntá Austin is an American singer-songwriter, who is currently signed to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings. He is commonly known for collaborating with Producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri & The Production Team StarGate. Austin was awarded two Grammy Awards for his work on the songs...
, Frank DeVol, Holland-Dozier-HollandHolland-Dozier-HollandHolland–Dozier–Holland is a songwriting and production team made up of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian Holland and Edward Holland, Jr. They are considered to be one of the greatest songwriting teams in popular music...
, Anthony McIntyre, Antwan PattonBig BoiAntwan André Patton , better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, song-writer, record producer and actor, best known for being a member of American hip hop duo OutKast alongside André 3000. His work in the duo has produced six studio albums. During the duo's hiatus, he and André...
) - "When I See UWhen I See U"When I See U" is a Grammy-nominated R&B song recorded by Fantasia, written by Sam Watters, Louis Biancaniello, Kevin Risto, Waynne Nugent, Janet Sewell and Erika Nuri, and produced by Midi Mafia and Mzmeriq. It is the second single from Fantasia's second album, Fantasia . The song reached #1 on...
" – 3:37 (Sam WattersSam WattersSam Watters is a Grammy nominated American songwriter, record producer, singer, and record executive. Watters was a member of the multi-platinum selling 1990’s R&B group Color Me Badd and co-authored many of their hits including “I Wanna Sex You Up”, “I Adore Mi Amor”, and “All 4 Love”...
, Louis BiancanielloLouis BiancanielloLouis John Biancaniello is a songwriter, record producer, and musician.-Background:Louis' skills were developed while working alongside producer Narada Michael Walden with whom he produced hits for Shanice "I Love Your Smile", Whitney Houston "I'm Every Woman" from the Grammy winning album The...
, Kevin Risto, Waynne Nugent, Janet Sewell, Erika Nuri) - "I Nominate U" – 4:34 (Andre Harris, Balewa Muhammad, Vidal Davis, Candice Nelson)
- "Baby Makin' Hips" – 3:21 (Andre Harris, Balewa Muhammad, Vidal Davis, Candice Nelson)
- "Not the Way That I Do" – 3:35 (Sean GarrettSean GarrettGarrett Hamler, better known by his stage name Sean Garrett is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He has produced fifteen number one singles in only seven years of producing music. That number puts him in fifth place on the Billboard list of producers with the most number...
) - "Only One UOnly One U"Only One U" is the third and final single off R&B singer Fantasia’s second album, Fantasia . The single entered the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at number seventy-six, just one week after its release. The song peaked at number thirty-six on the same chart. A music video for the song was never...
" – 4:00 (Bryan-Michael Cox, Thabiso "Tab" Nkhereanye, The ClutchThe ClutchThe Clutch is an American collective of songwriters responsible for a series of successful singles including Omarion's "Ice Box", Ciara's "Like a Boy", Timbaland's "The Way I Are", Britney Spears' "Radar" and Raven-Symone's "Double Dutch Bus".-History:...
, Ezekiel LewisEzekiel LewisEzekiel "Zeke" Lewis is an award-winning American songwriter, who has written and arranged for many best selling recording artists. He is co-founder of the American songwriting/production company, The Clutch...
, Balewa Muhammad, Candice Nelson) - "I Feel Beautiful" – 3:33 (Diane WarrenDiane WarrenDiane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
) - "I'm Not That Type" – 4:07 (Missy ElliottMissy ElliottMelissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
) - "Uneligible" – 3:00 (Balewa Muhammad, Candice Nelson)
- "Two Weeks Notice" – 4:42 (Craig Brockman, Corte Ellis, Missy ElliottMissy ElliottMelissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
) - "Surround U" – 3:19 (Denzil Miller, Kurt Walker, Kasseem Dean, Lawrence Smith, Makeba Riddick)
- "Bore Me (Yawn)" – 2:55 (Balewa Muhammad, Candice Nelson)
- "Sunshine" – 3:47 (Harold Lilly)
- "Bump What Your Friends Say" (featuring Missy ElliottMissy ElliottMelissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
) – 4:44 (Missy ElliottMissy ElliottMelissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
, Phillip Lees) - "Girl Like Me" (Exclusive Wal-Mart bonus track) – 4:20
Charts
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 19 |
| U.S. R&B Billboard 200 | 3 |
Unreleased tracks
- "Turn This Party Up" (Feat. Missy Elliott)
- "Broke"
- "Solo (So Low)"
- "Said I Wouldn't (No More)"
- "No Stoppin'" (produced by Missy Elliott) also recorded by MonicaMonica (singer)Monica Denise Brown , and professionally known as Monica, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, Monica began performing as a child and became part of a traveling gospel choir, by the time she was ten...
- "Let It GoLet It Go (Keyshia Cole song)"Let It Go" is a song by R&B singer Keyshia Cole released as the lead single from her second album Just like You. It features rappers Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott. Elliott also produced the song, which samples "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume, and "Don't Stop the Music" by Yarbrough and Peoples...
" (Feat. Missy Elliott) re-recorded by Keyshia ColeKeyshia ColeKeyshia Myeshia Cole Gibson born October 15, 1981) is an American singer–songwriter and actress. She gained nationwide acclaim when her 2005 debut album, The Way It Is went platinum. Her sophomore album Just Like You went into production shortly after that and was released in September 2007...
& Lil' KimLil' KimKimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....