That Grape Juice was in the house last night at Fantasia‘s electrifying London debut at the indigO2. Following the show, which was hosted by Starmix, we took to the backstage area to catch up with the American Idol alum – who was very pleased to see us.
As the VH1 cameras rolled (for season two of ‘Fantasia For Real’), the singer became emotional, as she recounted telling That Grape Juice earlier this year that it was her dream to perform in London; a dream which has now come to fruition.
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Off the record, this was hands down one of the best shows I have ever had the privilege of attending (and I have been to many)! From the moment she hit the stage and kicked off her heels, Ms. Barrino had the audience in the palm of her hand. The audience were willingly taken to church, to the rave, and anywhere else the dynamic performer chose.
Rounding off her set, Tasia sang “oh how great it is to be London”, indeed we were glad to have and host her. Here’s hoping she comes back soon!
{Shout-outs to Starmix, Jerome, Clint, and Ebenezer!}
She said during the performance “you don’t pay me to be beautiful on stage, you pay me to give you a show”
If only artists and record companies remembered this when signing artists. The concert was the truth
Yoo Sam its Jerome from yday! Fantasia owned it yesterday!! And was a #commander on stage… We love you TGJ keep doing your thing!
I have seen some of the footage and you are right she killed it…Once you have seen her live some of the other act you see just are not up to snuff…You don’t need to change you clothes a hunderd times to trick the people … just sang!!!!!!!
SHEEE WASS ON FIIRREEE LAST NIGHT !!!! OMDZZ
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVEEE MEE SOME FANTASIA !!!
CAN’T WAIT TIL SHE COMES BACK LOVE LOVE LOVE HERR KISSES…SHES SOO BEAUTIFUL EVEN WHEN SHE UP DOING HER THANG !! MY GIRL TASIA !! X
SHE KILLED IT
I heard she tore the place down! Man, if only I could have been there.
If I am honest I was a touch disapointed at Fantasia’s insistence on singing to just a few people at the corner of the concert hall and neglecting all the others who had also paid to see the show but who couldn’t see her from where they were standing or sitting. Fantasia still has a lot to learn about taking direction and stage courtesy. In all it was a good show, not the best but good and could have been better if Fantasia had understood that the stage is there for a reason and it is not to keep her from interacting with the fans.
She is a wild performer . The best singer and she is a people’s person .I loved every bit of the concert .I’ve never been so emotional , so close and at peace at a concert . She teared it down .. I qoute “If you dont let the people come over the gates , ima go to the crowd …And i aint going back on stage cause i dont wanna ” Now tell me with artist is so freeeeee !! LOVE TASIIA UR BIGGEST MORE THAN OBSESSED FAN!!
I ve seen in concert and she is too loud and GHETTO for my tastes…. she needs some subtlety….
She aint Aretha nor Patti no matter what she thinks
but I will say that I love when she was in The Color Purple
I know exactly how Londoners feel right now. Fantasia knows how to put on a show. I saw her in August and it took me a few days to come down from that high.
she’s a BEAST on stage, no doubt about that.
@CHARMAIINEY
was that at the 2008 taste of chicago? i was there and that’s pretty much what she said, lol.
Fantasia is amazing!
I wish SOME PEOPLE who-made-post at May 4th, 2010 @ 6:38 am would STOP using MY NAME!! …Or any said; ‘take-on’;’take-off’; offshoot;or “play-on!”
In any case, happy to hear/see TGJ getting major pops – good for you Sam/Trent ….good for you! Fanny is smart: she had TGJ upfront-and-center SOME-OTHERS won’t ‘dare-to-be-great!’
…So Sam, when can we expect THAT episode,of her show, to be aired?
….Mr. Dimille, Sam is so-ready of HIS close up….
X,Y,”and Z” — OUT!
wow, I’m still on a high. This woman put on an amazing performance last night.
She may not have let the other people further back see her clearly but nether the less it was still a great show. I’m sure those up top, and at the back didn’t mind too much.
I have seen some of the biggest artists in concert and Fantasia was just on a different level totally fantastic. Such a powerful voice too.
She is still a regular girl at heart, and there‘s nothing wrong with that. Some will love it, and some will hate it. You can never please everyone anyways.
@Happy
‘I’m sure those up top, and at the back didn’t mind too much.’
Well, would you have minded?
Fantasia’s first overseas concert and she c**** it up with a stunt like that. I surely will not pay to attend one again. If I just wanted to listen to Fantasia I could have stayed at home and listened to my Ipod.
She always goes overboard, too much yelling, can’t even make out what she’s saying. Her voice isn’t all that great to me.
That was nice of Tasia. I saw her live at the Taste of Chicago a couple years back, and she gave a 110% performance. She doesn’t half step nothin.’ You’ll never hear that woman lipsync.
It’s because people have gotta so use to singers singing with a track that someone doing it live is to loud or off key…Not Fantasia she is like one in a hand full of singers still killing it live..say it is to loud but will not except that it was bad..Never felt like she was ever off always does a song a bit different so who ever hears it fill special …KEEP KILLING IT FANTASIA!!!!!!!!!!!
Well most smart people know if they are sitting far back or up top they are not going to get a good “look” and see well in the first place.
Anyway I have seen Fantasia live three times and she is awesome. People really get their money’s worth. She puts on a great show. My only small complaint is she’s been singing that same old school set for over five years. Time for baby girl to switch it up although I LOVE Purple Rain lol.
Can’t wait for her new album!
@The Truth
‘Well most smart people know if they are sitting far back or up top they are not going to get a good “look” and see well in the first place.’
I was at the front to the left/centre of the stage, downstairs standing. I had a very clear view of the stage and the video I have is clearer than those that are currently on youtube. I was so close to Fantasia that I could see her sweating and her make up running. The concert was ok until Fantasia decided to jump of the stage and sing for the people at the far right only. She then refused to get back on the stage. Fantasia needed to use the stage for what it was intended and as a performer she should know that. A good performer should not neglect the majority of the audience that have paid good money to see her. She still has a lot to learn obviously. I think when she finished her security told her what she had done and that is why she came back after finishing the set and did an impromptu rendition of ‘Baby Mama and another song but by then I had lost interest.
Not everyone that goes to a concert is totally happy with it ,thats how it is so next time just pass on it thats all ..No biggie…
Oh she looks so cute in that pic! Tv cameras do her no justice, cuz I had no idea
All the people who have somthing bad to say bout Fantasia can kiss my and her ass it was her concert so she perform how she wants but i understand what u mean by going to one side and performing when everybody else paid there money also but she has one of the best concerts ever and i love Fantasia and is waiting on her new album !!!!
I wasn’t in London, but I’ve seen Tasia in concert three times. And three times in the Color Purple. I was lucky to see lots of footage of the concert and read the twitter messages. Based on what I heard, her voice was clear, notes were on point and the runs were great. Seems like most of the attendees had a great time and thought she was awesome.
As someone else said, out of all that , I have only seen negative comments on here. For those who were dissatisfied; lesson learned. I understand your disappointment. Next time she’s in London, don’t go.
@Renae. No one cares, honey.
@Pecan
There is no written oath or promise that a performer has to stay on the stage when they do a concert. I have seen many that do not. She sang only 4 songs on one side of the stage out of about 15 or so total songs.
She did the Encore because she wanted to. She just did those last few songs a few days ago in Louisiana so its no surprise she did them there.
Twitter was blowing up from the moment she hit the stage until she left the stage so looks likes majority were satisfied can’t please everybody.
This home wrecker needs to disappear…. she is very talented yes, but breaking up a family mstzzzzzzzzz i hope she flops
@Geronimo, get a life.
I understand that Fantasia can’t please everyone and I don’t have any complaints about her singing. And it is her singing that made me purchase a ticked to SEE her and not just listen to her perform live!! Of all the great entertainers that have graced our stage I have never once seen one insist on doing a good proportion of the show for a small minority in the corner of the room.
If one signs up to do a concert in a reasonably sized concert hall is it too much to ask for that performer to perform on the stage where everyone who has paid to see you perform can do so? She is lucky that the audience was mainly full of us sympathetic black folk because had that been British white people you know people would have been asking for a refund as they paid to see a full show and not half.
Fantasia literally did half of the show glued to that spot on the right hand stage. I notice that there was a hot bloke in white in that corner so perhaps that could have explained Fantasia’s fascination with that spot in the concert hall. Whatever the case it was highly unprofessional and showed lack of respect for the people in London who had paid good money to see her. She is not a big star here so thankfully the press were not in tow otherwise I reckon she would have been slaughtered. However the cameras were rolling for her reality show and I think the cameraman may have a shot of some of us booing and complaining about not been able to see and so Fantasia will see that and that footage may even show up on the TV show. I remember Mary J Blige totally messing up her debut in London she was in London in 1993. She soon learnt her lesson then and I hope Fantasia learns hers.
Fantasia wasn’t in a little club, she was in medium sized concert hall and in my opinion she messed up. I shudder to think how she would conduct herself if she was granted the honour of gracing a stage of much bigger venues like the O2 arena across the way or Wembley. Would she also stubbornly refuse to use the stage and insist on mingling with the crowd? I can see that going down a storm.
And as for those telling me not to go when Fantasia performs again in London. First of the nerve of some of you psycho fans for even daring to tell me what to do. Are you trying to tell me that I shouldn’t offer an opinion on this? Well get stuffed because I PAID my money and I have the right to tell it as I found it. Secondly, I wasn’t planning to attend a Fantasia concert again anyway after that and I am sure plenty of others who felt the way I did won’t either. You forget that the indigo wasn’t a sold out show and it also wasn’t as jam packed as it can normally get when those garage stars perform. So minus us lot who felt slighted I doubt she will be able to top that capacity again.
@ pecan i wish u would get a life jus because u and some others didnt get a good look at Fantasia doesnt mean she was doing that on purpose she probably didnt realize what was going on all she wanted to do was give a good concert which she did and it wouldnt matter if u and the others dont come back yall dont stop no show the show is still gon go on and she apologize and did a encore show for the ones who couldnt see but i see people like u dont appreciate it
@PECAN
You sound like an unhappy soul that finds fault in little things.
Fantasia is the reason that I found thatgrapejuice…
Back when she was promoting her single “When I See U”, she performed the song live on BET’s 106 & Park. Thatgrapejuice posted a video of the performance, and the video made the rounds on the internet. I visited the site that day, and I haven’t turned back yet….
Last I checked it was sold out. And out of 15 or so songs, she only sang 4 songs in the crowd. How is that half. Your dissappointment is making you exaggerate.
@ Annie
I have a life… to tell you the truth she disapointed me and im not going to any of her concerts again. Shame on you fantasia, shame on you.
The show wasn’t sold out as a few people were still able to buy tickets at the venue.
If the show had been sold out they would have added an extra date like they do with most stars.
The Indigo2 only holds about 2,400 people and as someone said it wasn’t that jam packed. I would guess that there were probably less than 2,000 in the venue that night. My in law was able to go away several times to get drinks and come back through the crowd without any problems. Now that task was impossible when we saw Erykah Badu and Jill Scott in a similar but slightly bigger venue, Brixton Academy because as we say in London, the place was Choca Blocked!!!
People are acting like Fantasia took London by storm yet the GrapeJuice seems to be one of three or so minor blogs which covered the show??? When she disappeared from the stage and I heard her say she wasn’t going back on I kind of lost interest but people around were pissed. If Fantasia pissed off most of those who attended by her antics I doubt she get that many attendees again in London and playing to larger audiences of 25,000 or more in MEN in Manchester or the main O2 arena will be out of the question.
Perhaps Fantasia should stick to doing club promotions in much smaller venues where she can freely mingle with crowd and is not required to do the majority of the show on stage where people can actually see the show they paid for. I wish her well though. It was nice that she came back and did a couple of other songs for us that missed out when she was in the crowd. It shows that her heart is in the right place and that she is on a learning curve like we all are.
Hello again
yes pecan and everyone else I totally understand what you are saying. I almost didn’t go to the concert but I am soooooo thankful I decided to buy tickets last minute.
To begin with I myself was standing further to the back, and then I went and stood in front of the barrier on the left side of the stage. I can admit that she did spend the majority of the time on the right side of the stage, but that did not put me off at all.
On the rare occasion that she did come over to the left side I appreciated every moment of it.
She is an excellent performer, and yes she may not have the conduct of of bigger celebrities, but she still put it down in a major way.
If you pay decide to stand far back, or buy tickets at the back well you have to be prepared not to have the greatest view.
I myself do not buy tickets in the back rows because if im going to pay for a seating ticket I want a seat close to the front or ill go for the cheaper option and stand.
A concert isn’t always about having the best view, but also having that live experience and enjoying the moment.
Regardless to whether she could be seen or not, you could still hear what she was singing just as clear.
Her so called “loud” singing is exactly what makes her who she is. Again some will like her and some won’t.
Each to their own really.
tasia is a good singer, she has what it takes to keep making good music. people long for the days of gladys knight, anita baker , aretha, whitney and other soulful sisters and shes doing the dam thing. she also fits the bill as a soulful singer very well , and it comes natural to her , singing.
Why Are these people making it there business to say bad things about Fantasia ,If you didn’t like the show than move on baby…Why you crying over spilled milk have a coke and a smile..hater…
Happy
‘If you pay decide to stand far back, or buy tickets at the back well you have to be prepared not to have the greatest view.’
You may be okay with paying to SEE a show, taking time out to leave your house, camera at the ready to go and watch an empty stage but not me. The only reason I attend concerts is because I want to actually SEE the artist that admire perform LIVE! That is the reason why I chose to get to venue early so I could get a spot in front of stage. I was literally leaning on the barrier in front of the stage and nobody was in front of me so your assertion that I chose to stand at the back with limited views of the stage to begin with is wrong.
Anyway moving on. I won’t waste my money again.
.
Well there you go. You stood at the front. When I was behind the barrier on the left side, it may not have been a perfect view but I could see her, and it was just fine.
I hope you will be happy with the next artist you go to see. Alicia Keys and they Black eyes peas will give you a more professional performance at the neighbouring O2 arena.
Pecan , sorry you didn’t have a great time , but in Fantasia’s defence she probably had no idea that she couldn’t be seen by all of the audience as she’d only arrived a few hours before . I was up top front and centre and I could see everything , it was a while that I realised that those further back than me couldn’t see what was going on . She probably won’t make that mistake again and I’d be upset if I’d missed out but she still put on a great show so why insist on putting her down for her misstep ! Any X Y and Zee Crazy , your definition of ghetto is very different to mine , she put on a wild show but kids were there and there was not one second of the show that wasn’t suitable for their ears to me that’s class !
Serious questions:
What was Fantasia’s issue with the barriers?
Don’t they have security or health and safety barriers before the stages in concert halls in America? Has Fantasia played in such before? Why the diva demands. This is the first time in a different country in one of the most famous cities and music venues in the world and she was acting stuck up!
She came off the stage and refused to go back on when the stage director or whoever who knew what he was talking about asked her to several times. Now that That irked me a lot. Why wouldn’t she do as she was told? She was acting like she was massive star when even bigger stars who come to London take direction. I was like this girl is supposed to be a professional and yet she was acting like a spoilt brat!
This is Fantasia’s first time in London and yet she was demanding that the barriers be removed when she had only been on stage a for a couple of mins, barriers that are a standard at most British concert venues. Fantasia apparently got it into her head about the barriers being there to stop people from hurting her. Uhh! So what about the people who came to see you Fantasia not being hurt?? There were children and elderly folk in the audience as well. Did Fantasia ever stop thinking about herself and how she desperately and freakishly needed to feel the people to perform to give a thought to the elderly people and children who may be crushed and seriously injured when the barriers were removed?
Lastly best concert in London?
At times I felt I was watching American Idol 3 take 2 with the amount of covers. We are the Champions, Purple rain, kiss, umbrella, rock steady, tell me something good and no one were just a few of the covers she did,
GrapeJuice you need to get out more.
Fantasia gave everyone what they paid for at that show that night. From the first note to the ENCORE performance, she had everyone on a journey with her. You can hear her clearly, you get emotional with her, you dance, you laugh and you feel like someone is giving you 100% of themselves for your pleasure. I didn’t mention that she SANG, scatted, yelled, ran, belted, cried, sweated and had EVERYONE on their feet all night long going crazy. You gotta love that or at least appreciate it. Like the opera…
It’s a little weird, though, how people argue and call each other names in the comment section over the silliest things…some of us need to be more mature while hiding behind screen names.