Reigning “American Idol” queen Fantasia makes a self-assured debut that belies her novice stature. After listening to this 13-song set, the uninitiated can appreciate the talent of this young singer with the sophisticated, Tina Turner-esque voice. Under the direction of such marquee names as Missy Elliott, Rodney Jerkins and Soulshock & Karlin, Fantasia’s vocals are put to good use. The Fantasia/Elliott pairing works to full effect on “Selfish (I Want U 2 Myself),” one of three cuts the female rapper produced and co-wrote. A church-infused version of “You Were Always on My Mind”—covered notably by Willie Nelson—is another pleasant surprise. And you can just picture the video that could be made to support the step-lively, single-mother anthem “Baby Mama.” One jarring moment on this contemporary R&B outing is Fantasia’s rendition of the Gershwin classic “Summertime,” her signature song during the “Idol” contest. Simply put, it does not fit within this context.—GM
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