Fantasia Steals Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy Party with I'm Here

[hilltop]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 8:13pm

From Variety: "On Broadway, she stopped “The Color Purple” with “I’m Here” and she did it again Saturday night. Right performer, right song. And if the music industry is truly paying attention, they should realize that contemporary Broadway composers are creating interesting and dramatic material that can work for modern singers. In the digital download age, Broadway shows could be a great source of material and there are not enough A&R execs mining this increasingly rich territory."
I'm Here (scroll down)

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 11:34pm

I'm relieved that all it took was Tasia singing her song for people to realize that there's talent on Broadway and in Broadway composers. Thanks Tasia for letting the world know. Seriously, does that strike anyone else as a little funny?

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 11:40pm

You mean the skunk?

[RyToast1]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 11:44pm

Wow, I actually thought that was horrid. She's ruining a perfectly fine song with all her woo-ooo-oooohs, etc.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 11:48pm

Yeah, I couldn't watch the entire thing..she was overdoing it with the "woo-ooo-oooohs, etc." I thought the Tony Award performance was just beautiful.

The hair is reaaaaal staaank. What the hell was that

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 12:15am

That was HORRENDOUS!

OUCH!

Jesus.

I prefer LaChanze's restrained, powerful, beautiful, Tony winning version, screech free, with heart.

[hilltop]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 1:25am

I have a lot of respect for LaChanze and believe her Tony was well-deserved. But she isn't in Fantasia's class as either a singer or actress. If LaChanze could deliver I'm Here half as well as Fantasia, the Color Purple would have featured the song at the Tonys, instead of Hell No. One reviewer put it best by saying that Fantasia stopped the show with a song that he didn't remember LaChanze singing.

Clive's event is attended by most of the movers and shakers in the music industry--it is THE event for the music industry, second only to the Grammys themselves. To have a Broadway show tune stop the show is a wonderful advertisement not only for the Color Purple but Broadway as a whole.
Updated On: 2/12/08 at 01:25 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 1:30am

The Fantasiaites are back.

That didn't last long.

[hilltop]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 1:57am

lol Wannabe, I would have been disappointed if you didn't take the time to watch Fantasia's performance and post in this thread. I think you've posted in most of her threads, and that's fine, there's nothing wrong with that. Fantasia's the type of artist who will always generate a lot of interest.

Actually, I like her Oprah performance the best.

Updated On: 2/12/08 at 01:57 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 2:40am

I agree with Tobias.

Fantasia's performance of "I'm Here" as Celie is what worked.

She was singing it in that video as Fantasia, and musical theatre songs are written for a character, not a performer.

[fbueller]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 4:49am

Wow! I think we should all just be impressed that she showed up for Clive's party!!

[javero]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:46am

Gotta admit that I was prepared for the worst but was pleasantly surprised by Fannie's performance. It was fitting for the occassion. I mean it was Clive's pre-Grammy Party not the Tony Award telecast. She was trying to sell the song to that audience.

She has quite a command of the stage now without being grotesque. There's something about her that makes me embrace her artistically the same way that older family members used to obsess over Janis Joplin when I was a kid. Fannie for many is an acquired taste but I've been a fan since her AI heyday.

Platitudes aside, I still think she's desperately in need of a new personal stylist because that gown struck me as ill-fitting and the hair style unflattering. She's still very much a work-in-progress in terms of the aesthetic.

Updated On: 2/12/08 at 05:46 AM

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:50am

I adore her, but that was more than a little bit ridiculous.

[Anastasia_Beaverhausen]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 9:44am

OK, that was HORRIBLE!!!!

In the show, she was fantastic, and I have seen her perform that song outside of the show and thought it was good, but that was a hot mess....and not in a good way.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 10:30am

The screaming is what ruined it for me. And that tattoo was a bit distracting. Don't care for the hair either. And just to nit pick a bit she says "this is a song a did ON the Color Purple" not IN. Which award did she get? Was it a World Award or something for Color Purple for new performers?

Updated On: 2/12/08 at 10:30 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 10:48am

She won one of about 40 Theatre World Awards that are given out per season.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 10:51am

I thought that was the one she won.

[Sandy in Sable]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:40pm

I'm not sure if I'm more offended by the fact that Sylvester and Tweety had sex with her head, or by how much of her style is ganked from Karen Clark-Sheard. The Clark Sisters are an obvious influence. Those squalls and runs are pure Karen and Twinkie.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:55pm

How many extra notes can one person add to a song?

[me2]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:05pm

Wow! Impressive write-up. Maybe someone will stand up and take notice.

"I'm Here" is a little over-sung there (but still sounding great), but then I'm biased to how I heard LaChanze sing it a million times.

I think we can recognize Fantasia as being talented without needing to bash LaChanze, who is phenomenally talented.
Broadway Blog: Everyone can Can-Can / You can Can-Can Too

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:09pm

I enjoyed it, except for the parts where she seemed to be channeling Donald Duck.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:18pm

"I enjoyed it, except for the parts where she seemed to be channeling Donald Duck."

But Donald doesn't wear pants.

Maybe that's why he avoids the sweat stains.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:27pm

How does Fantasia still have any voice after singing like that? It hurt my throat just listening to it.

Updated On: 2/12/08 at 06:27 PM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:31pm

Oh my... The Fantasia threads. Just what I need after a long, tough day. :) They make me laugh.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 7:02pm

Dear lord.

Her hair is just the beginning of her problems. That was terrible. And I liked her a lot in the show itself but that was just..insane (in a bad way).

I might have laughed out loud during the "I'll stand as tall as the tallest tree" part.