Fantasia dropped by 19 Management?
Yet another Idol has been dropped, but not by their record label. The latest casualty is Season 3’s winner, Fantasia Barrino, and it’s Simon Fuller and 19m that’s doing the dropping. This is according to Shirley Halperin at the Entertainment Weekly Hollywood Insider:
Since her 2004 American Idol win, Fantasia Barrino has weathered her fair share of music business shake-ups, surviving mergers and the recent repositioning of her mentor Clive Davis, who signed her to J Records. Though she still has her contract at J, EW.com now hears that as of today, Fantasia has been dropped from the Simon Fuller-owned 19 Management. The reason for the sacking, according to sources, is that the R&B diva would simply not heed the firm’s professional advice. “There’s only so much energy you can put into helping someone’s career if they don’t want to listen,” hints an insider. However, like many other Idol contestants, Fantasia remains on Fuller’s label, 19 Recordings, and will continue to share music sales profits with the company.
According to the source, deals for David Cook, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Jordin Sparks, and Blake Lewis remain in tact.
The past couple of years have been filled with success for Fantasia. Her last album, Fantasia did well on the R&B charts, garnering a hit single, “When I See You”. She starred in the highly rated (but critically panned) movie of her life story on the Lifetime channel, and earned great reviews playing Celie in the Color Purple on Broadway. She’s set to play Celie in the upcoming movie version of the musical. Oprah loves her!
Looks like Fantasia has her own ideas about where her career should be heading…
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28 Responses to “Fantasia dropped by 19 Management?”
Add me to the Love Fantasia column. I am much more impressed with those talents willing to try new things and go in different directions then those who do the same thing over and over. (a la Daughtry and Underwood, not taking anything away from their talent and success)
Me too pj. I love Fanty – weird hair, crazy antics and all. Her voice has so many layers and so much character, I could listen to her all day.
She’s overcome so many obstacles, I don’t think this girl knows how to quit. That kind of personality doesn’t always quite fit with the big corporate mentality. But I have no doubt she’ll land on her feet yet again.
Simon’s expression was a perfect symbol of how he has absolutely no comprehension of anything truly American — country, for example, or the sanctified African-American church.
I think it was about time 19 admitted they have nothing to do with the urban market, and no comprehension of the relationship between Fantasia and her fans, especially the ones who flocked to see her on Broadway.
Of course, 19’s style is more the harmless and accommodating Leona Lewis, whose massive pop music smash “Bleeding Love” peaked at No. 74 at black radio…even Amy Winehouse’s album was a No. 4 urban album and Leona’s not on that chart. Shows you the kind of positioning 19 prefers for a black artist.
No shame on either side. Just admitting the truth about what 19 is in essence and what Fantasia is in essence.