I talked to Fantasia yesterday (10/31) at about 5 pm. She was cool as hell and real down to earth. It really felt like I was talking to one of my homegirls. Anyway, she talked about the Jamie Foxx kiss, her baby daddy, her new album, and more. Check it out!

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Fantasia: Hello
Angel: Hey Fantasia
Fantasia: Hey Angel. What’s up?
Angel: I’m chillin, thanx for taking the time out to call me.
Fantasia: [laughs] she said I’m chillin [laughs]
Angel: [laughs] I stay in N.C. too, so it’s good to see your representin..
Fantasia: What part of North Carolina?
Angel: Jacksonville
Fantasia: Jacksonville? Well than we homies then..
[both laugh]

Angel: Ok girl you know I have to ask you about your upcoming album. We heard it was going to be titled “Young Girl, Old Soul” is that true?
Fantasia: No, it’s self-titled, Fantasia.
Angel: Oh ok. Who did you work with on this album?
Fantasia: I worked with Missy Elliott, of course, I gotta work with Missy. That’s my girl, she gets me, she understands. Harold Lilly again, because he wrote Baby Mama on the “Free Yourself” album. Sean Garrett, Candace, Dre & Vidal, Media Mafia, and Diane Warren, who is amazing.
Angel: Oh you coming with the heavy hitters this time. [laughs]
Fantasia: [laughs] Yes girl
Angel: So, we heard about three new tracks and we wanted to know which one was going to be your first release..
Fantasia: Hood Boy
Angel: Ok..with Big Boi?
Fantasia: Yes
Angel: Did you shoot a video already?
Fantasia: We shoot the video in about two weeks. Angel, I got to work with the trainer for ’bout two more weeks. [laughs] So in about two more weeks we’ll be shooting the Hood Boy video.
Angel: Oh ok. There is a rumor going around saying that Dwayne Wade was going to be in it.
Fantasia: No, I haven’t heard that..
[both laugh]

Angel: We posted some of your promo shots a couple of weeks back and everybody was lovin them.
Fantasia: Aww man, that’s wassup.
Angel: So, what is your album cover going to look like?
Fantasia: My album cover? It’s gonna be a black and white picture and I’m painted in all black.
Angel: Yeah we saw that picture, but I didn’t know if that was the official album cover or not.
Fantasia: un huh
Angel: I like it though. You looking fierce, it’s looking like some America’s Next Top Model stuff.
Fantasia: Really? That’s wassup. Girl you just making me excited. I went with that one because there are so many reasons why. There are so many reasons why I wanted that picture. The main reason is because it says that I’m black and beautiful and I don’t care. I’m not that black, even though they painted me with the stuff. [laughs] But it just goes to show that I feel strong and confident and I feel beautiful. Even with this black tar on me, I feel beautiful. With the short hair, I’m still a beautiful girl ’cause so many times they try to make it seem like, if you’re not fair skin with long hair or a certain way..
Angel: ..you’re ugly
Fantasia: Right, So I just wanted to let people know that, hey I’m confident I’m the bomb right now, I’m painted in all this black crap, but that’s ok; I still feel beautiful.
Angel: Yes, it’s fierce and it’s very original.
Fantasia: That’s wassup. [laughs]

Angel: And since we on the industry thing. It’s always said that money and fame changes people, do you think since you’ve been thrusted in the spotlight you’ve changed in any way?
Fantasia: No, not at all. Which is a good thing, because I believe if I would have changed I woulda been done went crazy out here, girl.
Angel: un huh
Fantasia: The reason why I say that is because it’s a tough life. It is very tough being away from Zion everyday just about, and just no living the normal life that I used to live. Hanging with my homegirls, doing the things that I used to do. And it’s a big change from being to do that every day, to not.
Angel: Yeah..
Fantasia: You know what I’m saying? So being that I can be myself, it makes it a whole lot easier for me.
Angel: Do you visit home a lot?
Fantasia: Yeah, I still live in Carolina.
Angel: oh ok.
Fantasia: I still live in Charlotte.
Angel: So you keeping it home then, you ain’t moving out to California or nothing?
Fantasia: [laughs] I still live home, still go back to High Point. I do the same things that I’ve always done, because it just makes me feel better.

Angel: Do you keep in touch with any of the contestants from American Idol?
Fantasia: Of course Ruben, that’s my baby. I talk to Ruben a lot. And Camille, I don’t know if you remember.. Do you remember Camille Velasco that was on the season with me?
Angel: Was she from Hawaii?
Fantasia: Yeah.
Angel: Ok, yeah I remember her.
Fantasia: That’s my girl, we talk a lot.
Angel: We heard earlier this year that you fired all of your American Idol advisors and signed with Violator Management..
Fantasia: I have, I switched management with Violator right now. There is really no bad blood yanno? I’ve been with them ever since I won. I’ve been with them for about three years. And with this new album coming out and with the changes and some of the things that I’m trying to accomplish, I just felt like Violator could take me to the next level.
Angel: Yeah, you got your own thing going now. You don’t need the American Idol name anymore..
Fantasia: [laughs]
Angel: You got hits and your established..
Fantasia: I’m a survivor.

Angel: So let’s talk about this thing at the BET Awards, with you and Jamie Foxx..
Fantasia: [laughs]
Angel: You know I gotta ask about that, so what was going on with that kiss on the stage?
Fantasia: [long winded sigh…] Well Jamie is a cool guy, we’re good friends and he asked me to come out and perform with him. Actually he said to me that he wanted to kiss me on the stage. He said I want to give you a kiss and I was like… well, well ok. I just think the kiss just got um, a little more than what we expected. It was a good kiss and he is a good kisser and it was fun, and we’re still friends.. [laughs]
Angel: Yeah we saw a video that was going around earlier this year with you two at the Clive Davis Grammy party..
Fantasia: [surprised sigh]
Angel: And you two had that little performance together and yall got some crazy chemistry, so are yall going to release a track? What yall gonna do?
Fantasia: Actually, we’re talking about going on tour together.
Angel: Oh, that’ll be hott.
Fantasia: We’re gonna see if that comes through, because that would be amazing. He is an amazing artist and just a joy to be around. When you go on tour like that for a long time or when you go on tour with good people, it makes it better. So I would love for me and Jamie to go on tour together, so we’ll see.
Angel: I’m telling you a Jamie need to cut a record together, because them thangs will sell like hotcakes.
Fantasia: [laughs]
Angel: Because everybody was loving that..
Fantasia: Make the kiss the cover..
[both laugh]

Angel: So you worked and talked with Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Stevie Wonder.. All of them giving you support. Did they give you any kind of advice or help you out with the business?
Fantasia: The most advice that they’ve given me and I taken and run with, is just to take care of myself, be myself, and have a good time with it. Most of the time I would watch them, it wasn’t what they would say it was what they would do. I would sit back and watch them; they’ve been in the business for years, but they’re still nice to people and they’re still good to people. You sit and you wonder how are they still around? They could come out with albums right now that would sell. If Elton John came out with an album right now, it’s gonna sell. Aretha..it’s gonna sell. Because when you’re good to people and you’re nice to people and people remember you as that, it takes you a long way. So that’s what I watch. Even from Ms. Patti LaBelle, I sat and just watched her talk to loads and loads of people, and I said to myself, she’s been doing this for years and if she can do it…yanno. I have the opportunity, I was blessed, to do what it is that I love to do; why get out here and change and be snobbish?…Just to enjoy myself and be good to people and that will take you far. So that’s the main thing that I took from them and I ran wit it.
Angel: And obviously it’s working..
Fantasia: un huh..

Angel: So let’s get to some of these random questions I got here..What do you do to relax?
Fantasia: I watch movies. I kick back and go in the room by myself and I like to watch movies.
Angel: What kind of movies do you watch?
Fantasia: I like scary movies..
Angel: What do you bump on your iPod or Cd Player?
Fantasia: Justin Timberlake
Angel: That new CD?
Fantasia: Yes..
Angel: Yeah…
Fantasia: It’s hot right? [laughs]
Angel: [laughs] Yeah it’s hot.
Fantasia: [laughs]
Angel: Do you check out gossip blogs?
Fantasia: Um.. no.
Angel: Well you should check out Concreteloop sometime..
Fantasia: What is it again? I’m gonna write it down.
Angel: Concreteloop.com
Fantasia: Oh I got it right here. Oh ok, I’ll check it out, I got my computer with me right now. So I can check it out and come on.
Angel: Do you check your myspace page or update it?
Fantasia: Well my last myspace page, that I had they kicked off.
Angel: oh..
Fantasia: And there was somebody else on there, so J Records set up another myspace for me, so that they won’t kick me off.
Angel: Yeah because a lot of the readers wanted to know if you actually checked the messages or if you updated a blog or not.
Fantasia: I do, I check them. You know, J records set me up one, because the one I did myself they kicked mines off…
Angel: [surprised 'What']
Fantasia: Yeah, I was like it must have didn’t look too official. [both laugh] So J Records set up a myspace for me and I check it everyday. On my sidekick I’m able to go on the myspace even though I’m constantly going here or going in the studio. But I check my myspace everyday. I meet new friends and I meet new people. Myspace is the bomb right now.
Angel: Yes, it’s a good networking tool and you can keep up with your fans…
Fantasia: yeah.
Angel: A lot of the readers wanted to know who did your hair, because your hair is always lookin’ tight.
Fantasia: She is from High Point, North Carolina. Her name is Jennifer Taylor and she’s been doing my hair ever since I was a little girl.
Angel: Yeah, because you and your mother’s hair is always fly.
Fantasia: I’ll hook you up if you want her number [laughs]
Angel: [laughs] Yeah you need to hook me up with that..
Fantasia: okay..

Angel: So, who are your dating right now?
Fantasia: I’m not dating anybody right now. I have friends, but I’m mainly focusing on this album and focusing on going on the tour. I rather say that this album is my boyfriend. I get lonely, even with this album with the type of music that I’m doing. I tell people that I just turned 22, I’m ready to have fun and I’m looking for love, yanno?
Angel: yeah I feel you.
Fantasia: This album is talking a lot about how, you know different situations of being hurt. But you never know unless you try again. So I’m ready to try again..

Angel: Do you keep in touch with your baby daddy? Are you guys on good terms?
Fantasia: Um, you know what? I’m just gonna keep it real and be honest. We’re on good terms, just because we’re older now. You know back then we were young and we were kids. We’re on good terms, you know, enough with the drama. He comes around to see Zion, I allow him Zion. So we’re friends. You know, no relationship or anything like that, but we just grew up and we matured and we said it’s time out for all the crazy stuff. There is a child in the middle of all of this, and at the end of the day we have to make it so where she’s happy and satisfied.
Angel: Oh Ok, that’s good to hear. So how is Zion doing?
Fantasia: Zion is good, she just turned 5 she is in school. Actually she just left me this morning, I had her on the road with me for about two weeks, but she is doing very very good right now.

Angel: You were recently featured on Coko’s new song “Endow Me” and that had Lil Mo and Faith Evans on the track…
Fantasia: Yeah..
Angel: So a lot of people want to know if you gonna ever release a gospel album.
Fantasia: I got to. It just wouldn’t be right if I didn’t. But my plans is to do it with my family again.
Angel: Yeah that’ll be hot.

Angel: So did you like the end result of your T.V. movie? I was reading some of the reviews and some people were giving it bad reviews. Did you like how they portrayed everything?
Fantasia: Well, I don’t know, because I never heard any bad reviews. I’ve only heard good things and it got over 19 million viewers.
Angel: Yeah you had one of the highest movies on the Lifetime channel, so…
Fantasia: Yeah, I haven’t heard anything negative about it. All I can say is that it was my testimony and I gave my all. Yanno, at first I didn’t think I was gonna play myself.
Angel: Who else would do it though? You are the only person who can do it right…
Fantasia: [laughs] Yeah well I know but, you know I’m not an actress and I’ve never had any acting classes or anything like that. So I think that for what it was, it was an amazing movie, I worked with some amazing people: Debbie Allen, Loretta Devine, Kadeem, Viola.. So I was happy regardless of what they say. I was happy and I felt like that it was my testimony and it was brought out well.
Angel: Yeah, you did a good job..
Fantasia: Thank you.
Angel: So are you gonna do any other acting jobs?
Fantasia: I will. Actually after the movie I had a lot of people come to me about being in movies, but I was missing my music while I was doing my movie. And music is number one, and it’s my first love.. So maybe after this album and touring, I would love to do it again, but right now I’m just focusing on the music because I missed it so much.

Angel: Okay, I know my time is almost up, but a lot of people wanted to know if you were going to tour.
Fantasia: We are gonna try to start the tour up in December honey, and after that we are on the road from there. So you’re in Jacksonville right now right?
Angel: uh huh
Fantasia: So get ready, because we coming through there. Tell all your homegirls..
Angel: ..Nobody comes over here, so you need to stop by..
Fantasia: Oh I will [both laugh], trust me. Just because you said that, I’m going to call my manager and be like Jacksonville, please put that down. So we’re ready for tour, starting in December, and like I said, I’m just very excited about this album. Very, very excited, and happy with how it came out. I had a lot of input in it and I’m very excited.
Angel: I think everybody else is too, because all the tracks, when we posted them up everybody was lovin the tracks so..
Fantasia: Tell them I said, I really appreciate it. You know, you always get a little scared a wary, because the first album “Free Yourself” did so well it went double platinum. And everybody loved it, so you wanna give the fans what they love and make sure that they like the music, so when you say that it makes me feel good that everybody is enjoying it. So, I’m happy about that.

Angel: Ok, thanx Fantasia.
Fantasia: Ok baby.. [laughs]
Angel: Make sure you come through here then..
Fantasia: I will on the tour, you tell all your homegirls, all your homeboys to come out. Let’s do this.
Angel: Ok
Fantasia: Okay mama.
Angel: Thank you.
Fantasia: buh-bye..