Today’s From The Vault comes courtesy of one of modern music’s most gifted talents.

It’s Fantasia and her R&B classic, ‘When I See U.’

Helmed by Midi Mafia, ‘U’ was the second single from the songbird’s self-titled sophomore effort released late 2006.

The romantic jam was very much in the vein of the beat-driven ballads that were all the rage in the mid-2000’s. It peaked at #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and it reached number one for nine weeks on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. To this day, it remains one of Ms. Barrino’s most renowned releases.

It’s also notable for single-handedly saving the album’s campaign after the set’s launching single ‘Hood Boy’ struggled to ignite the charts. The track’s success revived the LP’s run on the US Hot 200 and helped it make a comeback on the Top 100.

The tune’s visual was directed by Lenny Bass and stands as a celebration of love, from the puppy to elderly. The songstress can be seen passionately singing the song on a rooftop in New York before meeting with NFL running back Larry Johnson who plays her love interest in the video.

Talents like Fantasia’s are hard to come by, hence why we continuously cherish her presence in the industry. 13 years on, ‘When I See U’ – as well as most of Barrino’s artistic output – remains a fantastic piece of art which hasn’t lost any of its brilliance. Again, a classic.

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