The Winner’s Circle: American Idol 3’s Fantasia, the Girl Next Door – Like It or Not

When Fantasia Barrino meekly stepped through the audition doors, no one would have guessed that the little thing with the short haircut and the charming gap-tooth smile was actually offering only a mere glimpse of what she had inside of her.

She was thrilled to be moving on to Hollywood, but you sensed she wasn’t exactly surprised. It seemed performing came entirely too easy for her. With good reason – she’d been singing since she was toddler. She was absolutely comfortable with an audience, she knew the power of voice, the passion of her delivery, she was completely at home on a stage. Still, that confidence seemed to translate to some as arrogance.

Alternately, there were others who quickly saw her as the breakout star of that season of American Idol. Fantasia took risks. She chose songs that seemed out of her reach and nailed them ("What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life"), she brashly played with interpretation ("Crazy Little Thing Called Love"), she even took us on an unexpected visit to church ("It’s A Miracle")! Her rendition of "Summertime" is heralded as one of the greatest American Idol performances, some are even saying televised music performances, of all time! What would she do next?

She was raising the bar. Week after week. No one could call her "safe."

Despite all of that, folks began to nitpick at her. It did not help that she had a habit of trading sassy banter with Simon. He didn’t mind, she didn’t mean any offense, but to some viewers at home, it was just registering wrong.

And she stopped. Stopped cold. When I interviewed her after her victory, I asked if this was strategic decision. She admitted it absolutely was, "I knew what people were saying about me! I’m not a bad person, and if me playing around with Simon was making people think I was disrespecting him or I didn’t take this competition seriously, then I needed to stop!"

So, Fantasia was many things. Stupid was not one of them. Another thing she was is a single mother. Many emails were sent saying that an unwed mother was not their idea of an Idol. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I often asked those people what that had to do with her ability to sing and perform. She was competing for a record contract, she was not running for president. As for the charge that she is not an appropriate role model, that’s the parents’ job. If your child needs to look outside the house for someone to admire, that is a personal failing. That’s my opinion.

The quieter, gentler, but no less fun Fantasia suddenly found herself sitting in the bottom three, aside two other African-American women – three of the strongest contestants. How did that happen, we will never know for certain. Many were crying foul, including Elton John! Fantasia never stopped smiling throughout.

However, there was something different about Fantasia from that point. Fantasia always chose the most challenging songs. She always pushed herself to the limits. She made unique song choices. Sometimes they didn’t work, but as David Bloomberg pointed out in Why Fantasia Won, "Baseball players can’t hit homeruns without racking up a few strikeouts along the way." But, after the final three debacle, Fantasia stepped it up yet another notch. It was as if she had something to prove. She could not be stopped.

She outclassed her young counterparts week after week. By the time it was down to the final three and LaToya London, her chief rival, fell, Fantasia was clearly the class of the field. Her win was a foregone conclusion, despite American Idol’s efforts to make it seem otherwise.

After Idol, Fantasia has not slowed down at all. Her "I Believe" was the biggest selling single of 2004. Her debut album, Free Yourself, is hurtling toward double-platinum. "Truth Is" peaked at number two on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and was a Top 40 smash on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She was prominently featured at Clive Davis’ 2005 pre-Grammy music festival, and her rendition of "Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word" reduced Elton John to tears at the Kennedy Center Honors tribute show for him. She is a star on the rise.

Fantasia is definitely unique. She is as fiery a performer as you are likely to find in modern music today. Her personality makes her a favorite on the talk show circuit. Fantasia is a polarizer – you love her or you just don’t like her at all. There is a name for that. It’s called "artist." She provokes a feeling in you, and that is what art is all about.

Sting7 has been a respected published writer for many years, as a music editor, entertainment critic, columnist, and interviewer. He also has a curious love for pro-wrestling! You can email Stinger at stingseven@yahoo.com.

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