Season 3 American Idol winner Fantasia followed up her platinum-selling debut Free Yourself with her self-titled sophomore album in December 2006. The two big singles from Fantasia were “Hood Boy” and “When I See U.”
Like her first album, where she worked with Jermaine Dupri, Missy Elliott, Sean Garrett, Jazze Pha, and Darkchild, Fantasia’s second album was full of heavy hitters behind the boards. She had Babyface, Diane Warren, Kwamé, and Dre & Vidal this time. For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I decided to go with my favorite song from that album, “I Nominate U.”
Dre & Vidal produced this one and co-wrote the track with two members of the now defunct songwriting collective, The Clutch. “I Nominate U” is set in an organic and lush arrangement. The song finds Fantasia effectively setting up a night of intimacy. As Tasia sings her heart out to the lucky man she’s waiting to arrive, you can hear the sincerity in her voice.
“I been thinking bout this
All day long
Cant believe how I’m gone
And my minds blown off of you
I’m anticipating (oh)
When you’re coming home (oh)
See, tonight were bout to try out something new
I was thinking role play if you’re ready, boy, get ready
(Lets see you be Denzel)
Its your training day boy come and get me, are you with me
Lets keep the lights on cause tonight I wanna watch you perform
(Watch ya perform Let me see what cha got for yo girl now baby)
When I turn you on you steal the show boy you should get an award
(As a matter a fact boy ya’ know that I do)
I nominate u”
I was three months into my only Air Force deployment when this song arrived. At the time, I was single, but I knew that GOD was saving someone for me. Thus hearing songs like “I Nominate U” would reassure me that my queen was out there in the world. Surprisingly the track wasn’t a single, which is a shame as it would’ve been a colossal concert song for Fantasia.
Final Grade: B+
“I Nominate U” from Fantasia is available on all streaming platforms.
Songstress Ashanti was experiencing significant success with two platinum albums at the time of the release of her inaugural holiday project, “Ashanti’s Christmas,” on November 18, 2003. Her label head, Irv Gotti, produced most of the album. This project comprises four original songs co-written by Ashanti, in addition to six cover versions of traditional Christmas standards and carols.
Vocal quartet A Few Good Man contributed two songs to the project: a cover of “Silver Bells” and the ballad “Merry Christmas My Dear,” both of which were produced by Daryl Simmons. Demail Burks, David Morris, Aaron Hilliard, and Tony Amey were the members of the group, and after introducing themselves in the festive video for “Silver Bells,” it was only fitting that they delivered a ballad on the album.
R&B legend Luther Vandross had already solidified his place in R&B when he released his first holiday album, “This Is Christmas. Arriving in stores on October 24, 1995, “This Is Christmas” validates Vandross’s ability to sing anything.