Last week Fantasia wowed a private Los Angeles audience with an intimate, genre-spanning concert taped as the first installment of BET’s new live concert series that’s set to premiere later this month.
The former American Idol‘s taping brought her small crowd a taste of the artist’s upcoming album The Definition Of, as well as renditions of her most memorable singles, including “Free Yourself,” “When I See U” and the Grammy-winning “Bittersweet.” The crowd was clearly touched by Fantasia’s raw emotion, sparking everything from tears to joyful praise.
“I hope to just bless somebody through music,” she said during her set.
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Fantasia continuously remarked throughout the night on her love for all music as she shifted from rock to country to jazz to R&B to gospel songs, including a cover Aerosmith‘s hit “Dream On” that matched perfectly with her strong and wide vocal span.
The typically R&B singer also performed “Ugly,” a country song from her upcoming album The Definition Of, which she dedicated to her daughter. The song’s lyrics, “I’m telling ya girls, its a beautiful thing/ Trust me, it’s far from ugly,” are about embracing the beauty in individuality.
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Later, Fantasia brought back her American Idol days with “Summertime” by Ella Fitzgerald, which she performed on the show in 2009 and returned to this past season, and embraced her gospel background performing her new single “I Made It” that features gospel singer Tye Tribbett.
The artist also shifted to a more upbeat vibe with an impersonation of James Brown, revealing that his classic “It’s a Man’s Man’s World” inspired her song “Sleeping With The One I Love” from The Definition Of. Fantasia performed both back to back revealing the similarities in both soul powered songs.
Fantasia’s episode, titled The Definition of…Fantasia, is scheduled to air on BET Thursday July 28 at 9 p.m. EST.