Fantasia Barrino - FINALIST - Page 155

BoBoFan · 02-05-2005, 09:08 AM

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArt icle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGAr ticle&cid=1031780656563&path=! localnews&s=1037645509099

Saturday, February 5, 2005

An Idol Pays a Call
Fantasia has a busy life of concerts, benefits, and even acting
By Janice Gaston

JOURNAL REPORTER
HIGH POINT

Fantasia Barrino breezed into town yesterday to sing a few songs, sign a few CDs and soak in a little of home.

Barrino, the reigning American Idol, is on tour promoting her CD, Free Yourself. She appeared last night at 102 Jamz January Birthday Bash at Greensboro Coliseum, part of a swing through North Carolina that brought her back to her hometown.

Earlier in the day, she stopped by the WGHP/FOX8 television studio for a live interview. Prancing on mile-high wedge heels, she made the rounds of the building, hugging and kissing everyone in sight. As she sat in a chair, waiting for her interview, she looked around, a smile on her face.

"I'm back home," she said over and over. "I remember sitting here before I won."

People at home, she said, show her the best love she could ever get.

"It's not about fame and fortune. That could be gone tomorrow. It's about love."

Since winning the title of American Idol last spring, Barrino has crisscrossed the country, giving concerts, making TV appearances and spreading her version of down-home charm. She was among the artists who sang a tribute to Elton John at the 27th annual Kennedy Center Honors in December.

"There were so many awesome people in the house," she said. "The president was there!"

She has sung at benefits for AIDS organizations and for tsunami relief. She has visited churches and schools.

Her tour has introduced her to many young women who see her as a role model for single motherhood. Barrino, 20, has a 3-year-old daughter, Zion. One track on her CD, "Baby Mama," has stirred controversy because some people see it as an endorsement for bearing children out of wedlock.

Barrino wanted the song on her CD, she said. She knows that many young women struggle with trying to support their children and themselves, just as she did.

"I wanted to shout out to all those young moms," she said. "They can get in the car, turn up the radio and know, 'This one's for me.'" But she isn't promoting teenage motherhood, she said. "It's not cute. It ain't easy. It's hard."

Young teens come up to her and tell her, "I'm a baby mama."

"That's cool," she tells them, but then she asks, "What are you doing to try to better yourself?"

"It's really gotten to my heart," she said. "I need to sit down and talk to these young women." She isn't ashamed of being a teenage mother, she said. "But if I could have waited, I would have."

Barrino's mother, Diane, kept Zion while Barrino toured with other American Idol contestants. Now Zion travels with her mother. Having her child beside her reminds Barrino why she is working so hard, she said.

Next up?

Barrino will be a co-host of the Soul Train Awards on Feb. 28, and she is nominated for an NAACP Image Award as outstanding female artist. But music isn't her only interest.

"I want to do some acting," she said. She has already appeared as Aretha Franklin on the NBC drama American Dreams and she has filmed an appearance as herself for the UPN show All of Us that is scheduled to run March 1. She has a voice role coming up on the animated series The Simpsons as Clarissa, a character who goes up against Lisa Simpson in a singing contest - and loses.

For one day, though, she was home and in her glory.

On the way to town, she called friends to give them fair warning. "Get your clothes on," she told them. "I'm going to come get you."

Someone else will have to play chauffeur: Barrino still doesn't have her driver's license.

"I went, and the man says, 'Fantasia, go home and study.' I kept forgetting the signs."

No matter. She has a plan for her few hours at home.

"I just want to ride the streets, roll down the windows and smell the trees."

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BoBoFan · 02-19-2005, 08:48 PM

http://www.blackvoicenews.com/module...rder=0&thold=0

Commentary

Reprinted With Permission

By Adrienne Donnell
Showtime Editor
The Birmingham Times

“What I’m saying is as a young single mother, your life is not over because you have a child. If anything, having Zion has helped push me to work harder, be a stronger woman, because I want her to have the best. I do feel that my life has not been a fairy tale but I am blessed that I have come through the everyday struggle.”- Fantasia Barrino

Granted my generation has some flaws, but doesn’t every generation? Some members of the previous generation (about ages 45 and up) are a little too hard o*n us when it comes to what we like as far as music and how we express ourselves. According to them, our music is junk and what they had was real music. However, their parents most likely thought the same thing about their music, so the cycle continues.

I said that to say this: American Idol winner, Fantasia Barrino, has been catching a lot of negative feedback from her song entitled “Baby Mama.” I was reading an article from the Federal Observer (an Arizona based publication) entitled “American Idle-The New American Dream” written by Chuck Muth.

He criticized everything about Fantasia from her bad grammar to being a neglectful parent. He particularly complained about this line from the song, “I see you get that support check in the mail. Ya open it and you’re like ‘What the hell?’ You say, ‘This ain’t even half of day care.’ Sayin’ to yourself ‘This here ain't fair.’ To all my girls who don’t get no help. Who gotta do everything by yourself.”

In reference to this line Muth stated, “It’s hard to know where to begin here. Although the fact that Fantasia ain’t got no good English tends to confirm the notion that she, indeed, dropped out of school WAY too early.” He goes o*n to say, “I’m assuming, and not without reason, that the “support check” Fantasia refers to is from Uncle Sam and not the baby’s father.......But think about what Fantasia laments with regard to the paucity of her government check.

That it won’t cover the cost of food? Clothing? A roof over head? Medical care? No, that it doesn’t cover even half the cost of paying someone else to raise HER child during the day. Fantasia apparently believes that being an absentee parent is not o*nly a good thing, but an entitlement as well.”

When I read this obnoxious comment from Charles Muth, I couldn’t help but think, “What is this guy so bitter about?” He completely over-analyzed the song. First of all, in reference to her dropping out of school, Fantasia is, in fact currently working o*n obtaining her high school diploma.
Second, nowhere in her lyrics does Fantasia mention getting help from the government.

She was referring to a child support check from the child’s father that barely covers the cost of taking care of a child. And as far as the money not covering half the cost of daycare, has he overlooked the line in the song where she refers to women who are going to school, working jobs, and paying their own bills? She can’t take her child to work with her every day. Therefore she must pay for her child to attend daycare while she works to make a better life for her and her child.

A weekly columnist for The Birmingham Times, Hollis Wormsby, wrote an article last week entitled, “I’m tired of all these baby mama songs.” In his article he states that young stars need to understand the role their music plays in helping to shape the values and hopes of our young people. I agree with that comment. But if he is referring to the “Baby Mama” song by Fantasia, then that is exactly what she is doing.

She is shaping the hope of these young mothers to believe in themselves and to move forward with their lives. That is proven in the line from the song where she says, “We can go anywhere, we can do anything. I know we can make it if we dream.” By no means is she condoning premarital sex. It is reality and it is happening. We cannot brand them with a scarlet letter o*n their forehead, throw them in a closet and pretend that this isn’t happening.

Those days are over. Wormsby goes o*n to say, “I think amongst the ills of songs like Fantasia’s “Baby Mama” are that they celebrate something that isn’t really a victory.” A child is a victory. The act itself may have been a mistake, but the child is a blessing and so is being a mother. Now let me reiterate that I am not confirming teenage pregnancy, but we shouldn’t make these young women feel any less because they made a mistake. If they are working to take care of their child and being responsible for their actions we must commend them for trying to make a way. And these are the type of women that Fantasia is referring to in her song.

Hollis and I discussed our varying opinions o*n this issue o*n the weekly radio show Talkback o*n 98.7 KISS F.M. Ironically, my segment was shortened and moved to the last fifteen minutes of the show and we were unable to go into a more in-depth discussion.

Write to Adrienne Donnell at ADonnell@birminghamtimes.com with your opinions

BoBoFan · 03-11-2005, 11:04 PM

You go girl... the sky is the limit!!! We're so proud of you back home!!!!

WTG Tasia- You "da bomb!!"

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=571579

By The Associated Press
The Associated Press

CASTRIES, St. Lucia Mar 11, 2005 — "American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino will be among the performers at St. Lucia's annual jazz festival held throughout the Caribbean island, with the main stage in Castries.

Barrino, winner of the 2004 "American Idol" singing contest, will join the Isley Brothers and saxophonist-composer Dave Koz for a May 7 performance in the capital, the tourist board announced Wednesday.

Other artists scheduled for the 11th annual festival, planned for April 29-May 8, include Earl Klugh, Chris Botti and UB40.

chicagoholic · 03-18-2005, 08:31 PM

Fantasia will be appearing on American Idol on March 30th to perform "Truth Is".

J Records also has just sent out a newsletter and have confirmed that Fantasia will also perform her new single on American Idol the week after...."Baby Mama!"

I can't wait!

chicagoholic · 03-21-2005, 04:55 PM

Correction..she's not performing on the 30th. She's only performing once and it was moved to the next week. Sorry for the confusion.

RubenIZMyne · 03-26-2005, 01:45 PM

Congratulations to Fantasia for winning the NAACP Image Award for Best Female Artist.

Zaaam · 04-04-2005, 05:33 PM

AN IDOL RETURNS
The contestants are giving you everything they have so they can become the next American Idol. On Wednesday, April 6th, one of your favorite Idol returns to let them know what they're competing for. Don't miss Fantasia, performing live on the next Wednesday show, at 9/8c.

realityluver · 04-05-2005, 10:47 AM

Fantasia will be on the cover of the 35th Anniversary issue of ESSENCE Magazine.

You can view the picture here: http://img136.exs.cx/img136/7295/essence354yc.png

Zaaam · 04-11-2005, 05:20 PM

Fantasia will be on Jay Leno tonight 4/11/2005 (Mon)

Be there or be

Zaaam · 04-21-2005, 08:08 PM

Lisa Simpson Shows Up Fantasia
5/8 (Sun) - Fantasia "appears" on The Simpson's as the voice of Lisa's rival in a singing competition. 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT
Source: MTV.com

"When you do 'The Simpsons,' that's major," Fantasia said. "That's like a big-time cartoon that everybody watches. When they called me, I was like, 'Of course I'll do it!' I played Clarissa and I'm singing up against Lisa [in an 'American Idol'-like competition], and she wins. I was kind of hurt about it and I had to do this big crying scene and I was like, 'How am I going to cry?' And I started having flashbacks of how my baby cried all the time when I'm at home, so it wasn't too hard."

02-05-2005, 09:08 AM	#1541
BoBoFan Feelin' FoRTified~ Join Date: May 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Age: 50 Posts: 2,224	An Idol Pays a Call http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArt icle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGAr ticle&cid=1031780656563&path=! localnews&s=1037645509099 Saturday, February 5, 2005 An Idol Pays a Call Fantasia has a busy life of concerts, benefits, and even acting By Janice Gaston JOURNAL REPORTER HIGH POINT Fantasia Barrino breezed into town yesterday to sing a few songs, sign a few CDs and soak in a little of home. Barrino, the reigning American Idol, is on tour promoting her CD, Free Yourself. She appeared last night at 102 Jamz January Birthday Bash at Greensboro Coliseum, part of a swing through North Carolina that brought her back to her hometown. Earlier in the day, she stopped by the WGHP/FOX8 television studio for a live interview. Prancing on mile-high wedge heels, she made the rounds of the building, hugging and kissing everyone in sight. As she sat in a chair, waiting for her interview, she looked around, a smile on her face. "I'm back home," she said over and over. "I remember sitting here before I won." People at home, she said, show her the best love she could ever get. "It's not about fame and fortune. That could be gone tomorrow. It's about love." Since winning the title of American Idol last spring, Barrino has crisscrossed the country, giving concerts, making TV appearances and spreading her version of down-home charm. She was among the artists who sang a tribute to Elton John at the 27th annual Kennedy Center Honors in December. "There were so many awesome people in the house," she said. "The president was there!" She has sung at benefits for AIDS organizations and for tsunami relief. She has visited churches and schools. Her tour has introduced her to many young women who see her as a role model for single motherhood. Barrino, 20, has a 3-year-old daughter, Zion. One track on her CD, "Baby Mama," has stirred controversy because some people see it as an endorsement for bearing children out of wedlock. Barrino wanted the song on her CD, she said. She knows that many young women struggle with trying to support their children and themselves, just as she did. "I wanted to shout out to all those young moms," she said. "They can get in the car, turn up the radio and know, 'This one's for me.'" But she isn't promoting teenage motherhood, she said. "It's not cute. It ain't easy. It's hard." Young teens come up to her and tell her, "I'm a baby mama." "That's cool," she tells them, but then she asks, "What are you doing to try to better yourself?" "It's really gotten to my heart," she said. "I need to sit down and talk to these young women." She isn't ashamed of being a teenage mother, she said. "But if I could have waited, I would have." Barrino's mother, Diane, kept Zion while Barrino toured with other American Idol contestants. Now Zion travels with her mother. Having her child beside her reminds Barrino why she is working so hard, she said. Next up? Barrino will be a co-host of the Soul Train Awards on Feb. 28, and she is nominated for an NAACP Image Award as outstanding female artist. But music isn't her only interest. "I want to do some acting," she said. She has already appeared as Aretha Franklin on the NBC drama American Dreams and she has filmed an appearance as herself for the UPN show All of Us that is scheduled to run March 1. She has a voice role coming up on the animated series The Simpsons as Clarissa, a character who goes up against Lisa Simpson in a singing contest - and loses. For one day, though, she was home and in her glory. On the way to town, she called friends to give them fair warning. "Get your clothes on," she told them. "I'm going to come get you." Someone else will have to play chauffeur: Barrino still doesn't have her driver's license. "I went, and the man says, 'Fantasia, go home and study.' I kept forgetting the signs." No matter. She has a plan for her few hours at home. "I just want to ride the streets, roll down the windows and smell the trees."

02-19-2005, 08:48 PM	#1542
BoBoFan Feelin' FoRTified~ Join Date: May 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Age: 50 Posts: 2,224	"Baby Mama" Commentary http://www.blackvoicenews.com/module...rder=0&thold=0 Commentary Reprinted With Permission By Adrienne Donnell Showtime Editor The Birmingham Times “What I’m saying is as a young single mother, your life is not over because you have a child. If anything, having Zion has helped push me to work harder, be a stronger woman, because I want her to have the best. I do feel that my life has not been a fairy tale but I am blessed that I have come through the everyday struggle.”- Fantasia Barrino Granted my generation has some flaws, but doesn’t every generation? Some members of the previous generation (about ages 45 and up) are a little too hard on us when it comes to what we like as far as music and how we express ourselves. According to them, our music is junk and what they had was real music. However, their parents most likely thought the same thing about their music, so the cycle continues. I said that to say this: American Idol winner, Fantasia Barrino, has been catching a lot of negative feedback from her song entitled “Baby Mama.” I was reading an article from the Federal Observer (an Arizona based publication) entitled “American Idle-The New American Dream” written by Chuck Muth. He criticized everything about Fantasia from her bad grammar to being a neglectful parent. He particularly complained about this line from the song, “I see you get that support check in the mail. Ya open it and you’re like ‘What the hell?’ You say, ‘This ain’t even half of day care.’ Sayin’ to yourself ‘This here ain't fair.’ To all my girls who don’t get no help. Who gotta do everything by yourself.” In reference to this line Muth stated, “It’s hard to know where to begin here. Although the fact that Fantasia ain’t got no good English tends to confirm the notion that she, indeed, dropped out of school WAY too early.” He goes on to say, “I’m assuming, and not without reason, that the “support check” Fantasia refers to is from Uncle Sam and not the baby’s father.......But think about what Fantasia laments with regard to the paucity of her government check. That it won’t cover the cost of food? Clothing? A roof over head? Medical care? No, that it doesn’t cover even half the cost of paying someone else to raise HER child during the day. Fantasia apparently believes that being an absentee parent is not only a good thing, but an entitlement as well.” When I read this obnoxious comment from Charles Muth, I couldn’t help but think, “What is this guy so bitter about?” He completely over-analyzed the song. First of all, in reference to her dropping out of school, Fantasia is, in fact currently working on obtaining her high school diploma. Second, nowhere in her lyrics does Fantasia mention getting help from the government. She was referring to a child support check from the child’s father that barely covers the cost of taking care of a child. And as far as the money not covering half the cost of daycare, has he overlooked the line in the song where she refers to women who are going to school, working jobs, and paying their own bills? She can’t take her child to work with her every day. Therefore she must pay for her child to attend daycare while she works to make a better life for her and her child. A weekly columnist for The Birmingham Times, Hollis Wormsby, wrote an article last week entitled, “I’m tired of all these baby mama songs.” In his article he states that young stars need to understand the role their music plays in helping to shape the values and hopes of our young people. I agree with that comment. But if he is referring to the “Baby Mama” song by Fantasia, then that is exactly what she is doing. She is shaping the hope of these young mothers to believe in themselves and to move forward with their lives. That is proven in the line from the song where she says, “We can go anywhere, we can do anything. I know we can make it if we dream.” By no means is she condoning premarital sex. It is reality and it is happening. We cannot brand them with a scarlet letter on their forehead, throw them in a closet and pretend that this isn’t happening. Those days are over. Wormsby goes on to say, “I think amongst the ills of songs like Fantasia’s “Baby Mama” are that they celebrate something that isn’t really a victory.” A child is a victory. The act itself may have been a mistake, but the child is a blessing and so is being a mother. Now let me reiterate that I am not confirming teenage pregnancy, but we shouldn’t make these young women feel any less because they made a mistake. If they are working to take care of their child and being responsible for their actions we must commend them for trying to make a way. And these are the type of women that Fantasia is referring to in her song. Hollis and I discussed our varying opinions on this issue on the weekly radio show Talkback o*n 98.7 KISS F.M. Ironically, my segment was shortened and moved to the last fifteen minutes of the show and we were unable to go into a more in-depth discussion. Write to Adrienne Donnell at ADonnell@birminghamtimes.com with your opinions

03-11-2005, 11:04 PM	#1543
BoBoFan Feelin' FoRTified~ Join Date: May 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Age: 50 Posts: 2,224	St. Lucia Welcomes Fantasia You go girl... the sky is the limit!!! We're so proud of you back home!!!! WTG Tasia- You "da bomb!!" http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=571579 By The Associated Press The Associated Press CASTRIES, St. Lucia Mar 11, 2005 — "American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino will be among the performers at St. Lucia's annual jazz festival held throughout the Caribbean island, with the main stage in Castries. Barrino, winner of the 2004 "American Idol" singing contest, will join the Isley Brothers and saxophonist-composer Dave Koz for a May 7 performance in the capital, the tourist board announced Wednesday. Other artists scheduled for the 11th annual festival, planned for April 29-May 8, include Earl Klugh, Chris Botti and UB40.

04-04-2005, 05:33 PM	#1547
Zaaam Cheers sweetie!!! Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: BBC Age: 43 Posts: 829	AN IDOL RETURNS The contestants are giving you everything they have so they can become the next American Idol. On Wednesday, April 6th, one of your favorite Idol returns to let them know what they're competing for. Don't miss Fantasia, performing live on the next Wednesday show, at 9/8c. __________________ leave the gun...take the canolis - The Godfather

04-05-2005, 10:47 AM	#1548
realityluver Bopping to my own beat! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 735	Fantasia will be on the cover of the 35th Anniversary issue of ESSENCE Magazine. You can view the picture here: http://img136.exs.cx/img136/7295/essence354yc.png __________________ Phenomenal woman... that's me!!!

03-18-2005, 08:31 PM	#1544
chicagoholic FORT Regular Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 144	Fantasia will be appearing on American Idol on March 30th to perform "Truth Is". J Records also has just sent out a newsletter and have confirmed that Fantasia will also perform her new single on American Idol the week after...."Baby Mama!" I can't wait!

03-21-2005, 04:55 PM	#1545
chicagoholic FORT Regular Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 144	Correction..she's not performing on the 30th. She's only performing once and it was moved to the next week. Sorry for the confusion.

03-26-2005, 01:45 PM	#1546
RubenIZMyne Ultimate American Idol Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Nassau, Bahamas Posts: 848	Congratulations to Fantasia for winning the NAACP Image Award for Best Female Artist.

04-11-2005, 05:20 PM	#1549
Zaaam Cheers sweetie!!! Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: BBC Age: 43 Posts: 829	Fantasia will be on Jay Leno tonight 4/11/2005 (Mon) Be there or be __________________ leave the gun...take the canolis - The Godfather

04-21-2005, 08:08 PM	#1550
Zaaam Cheers sweetie!!! Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: BBC Age: 43 Posts: 829	Lisa Simpson Shows Up Fantasia 5/8 (Sun) - Fantasia "appears" on The Simpson's as the voice of Lisa's rival in a singing competition. 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT Source: MTV.com "When you do 'The Simpsons,' that's major," Fantasia said. "That's like a big-time cartoon that everybody watches. When they called me, I was like, 'Of course I'll do it!' I played Clarissa and I'm singing up against Lisa [in an 'American Idol'-like competition], and she wins. I was kind of hurt about it and I had to do this big crying scene and I was like, 'How am I going to cry?' And I started having flashbacks of how my baby cried all the time when I'm at home, so it wasn't too hard." __________________ leave the gun...take the canolis - The Godfather