An antsy crowd seemed more than relieved when Fantasia, the Grammy-nominated songstress likened to the greats such as Aretha, Patti and Tina Turner, hit the stage for The Park Live last Thursday. The Southern belle, known to belt out tunes, melodies, beautiful sounds from the depth of her soul, donned a sexy wavy bob complementing her star-studded, short, curve-hugging dress. Nearly blinding jewels adorning her wrist and fingers were glistening as much as her toe nails, because you know, in true Fantasia fashion, she kicked those shoes off as soon as she reached for the mic.
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After telling the bouncers to move out of the way so she could get closer to her fans, Fantasia pulled out hit after hit after hit, starting with “Selfish (I Want U 2 Myself)†and “Free Yourself†from her debut album. Even in a more intimate setting such as this, Fantasia did not sing, she sang. She didn’t tip toe in her space; she monopolized every inch of the stage, removed partitions that separated her and the crowd, and filled the venue with her electrifying powerhouse presence better than any artist I’ve ever witnessed.
A millisecond of “cool down†occurred when Fantasia asked the crowd, “Anybody had love like your momma’s collard greens and cornbread?†Screams and yells brought the momentum back up and it continued with a soulful fluidity as she sang “Collard Greens & Cornbread,†followed by “When I See You.†The latter sung a cappella.
“I’m on another level right now,†she announced in a short break. “I really don’t care what you say about me. Talk as much as you want… ‘cause now, I’m doing me,†she declared just before singing the empowering anthem “I’m Doin’ Me.†Continuing with a crowd favorite “Bittersweet†and closing out with “Hood Boy,†Fantasia took her audience on an amazing journey through her career and life. She sang it, showed it, and told it–she’s unstoppable and this is just the beginning.
