Music experts see real talent in new 'Idol'
By Edna Gundersen
USA Today
After the fairy dust settles, can Cinderella sustain the magic?
Season three of "American Idol" ended with the coronation of Fantasia Barrino, the rags-to-ratings rocket who won with her robust pipes and sassy personality.
Now the feisty North Carolinian faces justifying the superlatives judges and voters heaped on her in a thrilling race to the finish line.
No doubt she'll sell records. But whether Barrino, 19, lives up to the hard sell of the show's diva designation remains to be seen.
Breathless fans have gobbled up albums by Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, but critics have downplayed the Fox talent-show sensations as overrated karaoke performers granted shortcuts to fame.
Viewers who dialed in 33 million votes to hand Barrino the "Idol" title clearly consider her worthy of worship. This time, music industry experts seem to agree, predicting she may transcend the hype to join the artistic elite.
"Everyone who has some experience in the record business is convinced that Fantasia is the one ("Idol" winner) who really deserves a national stage," said Craig Marks, editor of the music magazine Blender.
"Fantasia is the very first rock singer, as opposed to lounge or pop singer, in the three-year history of 'American Idol.' There are a lot of reasons the show is terrific as television, but Fantasia is the first reason it's proven to be a boon to music fans and a great talent scout.
"On vocal chops alone, it's almost shocking how raw and rock 'n' roll her voice is, compared to the smooth and bland singing usually produced on that show. "
If Barrino doesn't outsell her "Idol" cohorts initially, she's likely to outlast them, Marks said. "As a vocalist and personality, she's got something that feels more built to last," he said.
"Idol" judge Randy Jackson compared Barrino to Mary J. Blige and Aretha Franklin. Music consultant Tom Vickers said "she has a classic, versatile quality that goes back to Dinah Washington or Esther Phillips. She has the making of the next quintessential diva ... in whatever genre she chooses."
A vinyl-era chanteuse in the bootylicious age? It's a ripe time for it, said music-business consultant Dennis O'Donnell, who sees a hunger for authentic entertainers.
"She's a pure singer, and she's more of a stylist, which is never a bad thing," he said.
Assembly-line pop stars are wearing out their welcome, he said. Fans are showing renewed interest in earthy, spontaneous artists who provide mystery and emotional connections on stage over robotic lip-synchers who re-create videos in tightly choreographed spectacles.
"The industry is going toward singers who sing real songs, with bands who play real instruments," he said.
Barrino's next challenge will be marshalling her skills for maximum impact. To reach the masses, talent has to translate from record and radio to TV and film.
"I think her chances are pretty good," O'Donnell said. "She can sing. She does have charisma and a really good face. All the rest can be taught if she's receptive to it."
The greatest immediate threat is from asphyxiation by producers and songwriters intent on churning out another cookie-cutter pop singer. Barrino may be vocal enough, as a singer and a rebel, to resist attempts to mold her.
"There's not much a producer or label could do to counter that voice," said Teen People managing editor Amy Barnett. "It's Macy Gray meets Minnie Riperton. She's very real and not at all cheesy, as opposed to people from the prior season, who felt so manufactured. The fact that she had to overcome some adversity to get where she is made people like her even more. As long as she sticks to music that showcases her vocal abilities, she can expect a platinum album."
What sort of album may prove more crucial than the "Idol" medal. During the contest, Barrino's repertoire ranged from soul and pop to rock and schlock. She seldom stumbled, but got her best marks for vintage turns.
"Fantasia does best in an old-school mode," Barnett said, "and generic pop tunes don't suit her well. I could see her doing old-school R&B and neo-soul. If she does a quality R&B record, she can develop a widespread audience. Look at Alicia Keys."
Keys is a fine model, Marks said. He'd also like to see Barrino collaborate with hip-hop innovator Missy Elliott or follow R&B singer/songwriter Jill Scott's lead.
"Whatever you do, you have to put real instruments, a real band behind Fantasia. I don't think she can be molded. She's not a Whitney (Houston). Her voice may be too old-school to be heard on black contemporary radio.
"I'm not sure what kind of material I'd give Fantasia," he added. "But I do know she's really good. She seems like a completely grounded girl who's also a bit of a weirdo, and that's what's so refreshing about her. Of all the people who've been on "American Idol," she's the only one whose record I really want to hear."
