Fantasia Barrino - I'm Here
If you've been around my blog long enough (3 years to be exact) you would know that I became Fantasia Barrino's biggest fan on the Internet during Season 3. The moment she finished singing Let's Give Them Something To Talk About, I knew she was the winner. For four months, I was obsessed. Even in the face of so many detractors who hated her because of the single-teenage-mother issue, I didn't care because she was the most beautiful thing I've seen on TV. By the time the finale came about, every true-blooded Fantasia fan knew where to go: rickey.org. Moreover, that fanhood of mine, is what transformed this blog into what it is today: a place where fans get together to find the latest on their idols, and sometimes meet others who share the same irrational obsession/s. So today, every true-blooded American Idol fan knows where to go: rickey.org.
Things have not been smooth sailing for Fantasia since she won however. I for one thought her debut CD was just half great, half bad. She also missed out on Dreamgirls, even if Jamie Foxx really wanted her in the cast. But it started to unravel I think when she released that ill-advised memoir that opened up a can of worms she didn't really need for her music career. This led to a TV-movie on Lifetime, which in fairness was the highest rated program on that network, but it also was a PR nightmare after she denied being illiterate -- and then her father suing the publisher for a book Fantasia herself consented to. Note to Mr. Barrino: If you cannot protect yourself from your own daughter, don't go suing someone else, sue her -- dang, maybe they are illiterate.
Anyway, it looks like the missteps may be over with the news about Fantasia starring in the Broadway production of the Color Purple. I am very excited because this will be the biggest thing that will happen to her career. Unlike other former Idols who have graced Broadway in supporting roles, Fantasia will be the star of the show -- which is how it should be. It will also be a great opportunity for Fantasia to get in touch with her core audience who will come in the bus loads from all over the country. I hope they have rush tickets on April 10. I am finally going to see Fantasia face-to-face after 3 years. I am beside myself.
Go Fantasia!