Writers are -- generally -- a lazy bunch.
Of course, that declaration probably flies in the face of stereotypical notions depicting authors of all stripes chained to computers, cranking out an infinite number of words and pages every day. But let's get real -- even the ultra-prolific Stephen King only writes four hours per day. And you slave how long at your thankless job? You get me? And no, I'm not saying that all writers are lazy (remember I said "generally"), but most honest ones are pretty damn slack.
Being a lazy writer myself, I never miss an opportunity to avoid work -- or pass my tasks to some other unsuspecting soul. So when I was presented with the opportunity to interview Fantasia (yes, THAT Fantasia ... the North Carolina-born, Charlotte-based "American Idol" winner who's currently promoting her single "Hood Boy" and her new self-titled CD), I immediately started thinking, "OK, who can I get to write this FOR me?" Then it hit me: log on to MySpace.
Well, I was already logged on to the mammoth social networking site, but I thought, "Why not let my MySpace friends make up all the interview questions?" To that end, I sent out a bulletin to all my online pals asking them to send me questions for Fantasia -- and help me dodge any real work. And, lucky for lazy me, they responded in droves. So here you have it: the "User-Generated Interview." Check it out and tell me what you think of this novel (i.e. effortless) approach to journalism -- although as long as I'm writing, it won't be the last!
Although you're an R&B singer, what is your opinion about hip-hop's current state? -- Smurf
Fantasia: I'm an R&B artist, but I'm a big fan of hip-hop. I just think it's [hip-hop] not like it used to be. There's a lot of hip-hop now that don't make sense to me sometimes -- because I'm a big fan of the, like, the real hip-hop of the underground, like the Roots, Talib Kweli, Common, and Kanye West. I just love to hear them talk about real things, real situations and stuff that makes sense. It's not always about some old drama, shooting, killing and dumb stuff, selling drugs and what I got. They speak knowledge. And that's the kind of hip-hop I love.
How many random cousins have come out of the woodwork since you became famous? -- Larmarrous
Oh, I have a lot of new cousins! But that's OK ... I'm from the South [where] you know everybody and everybody claims everybody. But I have a lot of new cousins now, which is cute to me. Everywhere I go somebody's like, "Girl, I'm your cousin!"
How do you feel when you're performing? -- Solidad
How do I feel? You know, I always like to say that whenever I'm up on the stage and performing, that's a special place for me -- my private place. We still go through things all the time; especially me at 22. There are a lot of situations that I handle and deal with. But when I get up there on that stage, that's where I let it all out. It's like being on a high, but I don't have to take any drugs. I could stay up there all day and all night.
If you could date any man in the world who would it be? -- Tiffany
Oh Lord! I would have to say, right now, Prince ... because he's handsome and he's a rock star and I love his music. I think that he's amazing. I would love to just have maybe a week of dating him.
Now, Prince ain't exactly a "Hood Boy."
Yeah, I think Prince has got a little hood in him!
Do you have any New Year's resolutions? -- Smurf
For '07 I just want to work harder and I want to be on the road all '07 ... and all '08, too. I just want to travel and be a hustler -- just get out there and do what I love to do. I want to make more money and hustle and stay on the road. That's my goal.
I used to hate my name growing up. Did you like your name as a child? -- April
Nope. I didn't. Simon [the infamous "American Idol" judge] used to say [my name] so beautiful to me, and he made me love my name. You know how you go to the store and buy those name tags with your name on it? They never had Fantasia on any of those name tags! People would say the Disney movie that came out was my movie, and it was stupid. I just couldn't stand my name. I told my mother when I got older I was going to change it cause it was too kiddie. I used to tell her that all the time: "I'm going to change my name, I'm going to change my name." Like, how would I look at 25 years old [with] somebody calling me Fantasia? But at "American Idol," Simon would say my name so sweet and so beautiful, I was like, "I ain't going to change my name! I like it now."
What have you learned about singing, performing and stage presence since recording your albums? -- Kelle Jolly
I've learned to figure out what the people like, what the people want to hear. They come out to have a good time. They want to hear good music. And I would say that music has changed from how it used to be. I'm 22, but I was raised up on a lot of old-school music. Me and my brothers, to this day, if we go to the store, we get DVDs of old-school singers and the shows they used to do back in the days; I watch and study up on that and see how they did their thing. I do an old school medley in my show -- we do Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Prince. And people love to hear that old school! I guess from going on tour and seeing how people react to certain things, that teaches me a lot. And just knowing that I'm allowed to go out and be myself. I don't have to hold back. I was raised in the church, so whenever I hit the stage I like to take it "there." So now, I get out there and give people good music.
How do you make new friends now that you are a celebrity? -- K.J.
Easy, because I talk to everybody. That's how I make a friend.
But do you only hang with celebs?
I mean, I don't hang with a lot of celebrities. I talk with Missy Elliott and Lil' Mo. But I still go home. I still live in Charlotte, so I still have my same friends there. At the end of the day, you never know what somebody's purpose is. So I hang with, roll with, people I used to roll with back in the day.
Do you think the stunt at last year's BET Awards -- where you and Jamie Foxx traded spit for a few long seconds -- went too far? -- LeRoy E.
No, I don't. Nope, I'm sorry sir, but I don't. Really, like, before I went he had told me he wanted to give me some sugar. And everybody was like, "Jamie wants to kiss you on the stage." I can say the kiss got a little intense. It was more than what we planned, but I enjoyed it.
If you didn't win "American Idol," what was your "Plan B"? -- L.E.
Oh, that's crazy -- because I didn't have a Plan B. So, I thank God the doors opened for me. Music was always everything. I sit down and talk to people who are still trying and they're not giving up. If you really love something you won't ever give up. They come up to me and they're like, "here's my CD. I've been singing for this long. I'm still grinding." That's all that's in your head. And that's all that was in my head: music, music, music. I probably would still be in Greensboro singing. Anytime somebody asked me to sing, I'd be there singing. Because that's all I know. I grew up on that. At the age of five, my Dad put me out there. I really didn't know much about it but as I kept singing, singing, singing, it became my love; it became my everything.
I heard you opened a day spa in Charlotte. Is that true? -- Chef Renee
I have a hair salon. It's called Imaj, and it's a hair salon/spa so you can, like, get your nails and feet done, and you can get a massage. You come there and you can get pampered. I went into partnership with one of the Panthers [Mike Minter].
Was it your idea to get braces? -- K.J.
Yep it was ... because I smile a lot. I smile a WHOLE lot. I have a big wide smile! At a young age, I always wanted to get them, but I could not afford them. So, after I won, I said "I want to have a pretty smile." People always told me I had a pretty smile, but I wanted to fix my teeth so it would be prettier. So it was my idea.
When handling the business side of your music, how do you deal with men who want to mix business with pleasure? -- Sabrina
You know, one thing I can say is that a lot of guys that work with me do not come across me like that. They approach me with respect when they first meet me and they keep it that way. It's better not to mix business with pleasure because you get a better job out of somebody! It doesn't get messy on the road. Everybody respects everybody for what they do and you create a good show and go out and do it. I found that out early in the game: you don't wanna get all caught up and then everything goes sour. So the good thing about it is none of the guys approach me that way. They're all very respectful. They call me "Miss Fantasia," and a lot of them are older than me. I'm like, "I'm only 22! I'm not a Miss!" But they respect me in that type of way.
How did you feel when you landed in your first foreign country on tour? -- Enid
Well, the only place I've ever been overseas is Singapore; we went there with the Idols. I want to go overseas -- I keep speaking this into existence. But the only place I've been is Singapore. And they accept you. The crazy part about it is, they might not know nothing you're saying, but they know good singing and good music. So they're all up rocking on their feet. And I remember performing "I Believe" and they all rushed to the front and they all had their hands up like they were in church. I'm ready to go back overseas again. I'm really ready now!
What do you think of the local music scene? -- Maurice
Well, because I'm never home, I don't know. When I come home, my friends take me downtown to some of the different clubs down there. I was thinking of maybe moving downtown one day. I remember going to a jazz-type environment, but I haven't really got a lot of time off to just, like, go around Charlotte. After my tour this year, I think I'm going to take off 2 to 3 months to enjoy my home, my cars and my hometown.
Do you see yourself going to college? And if so, what major would you pick? -- Brittany Blackmon
That's crazy she asked me that. Well, I've been talking about it. I wanna go ahead and get my diploma. Now I have to find a young lady who doesn't have any kids that can go on the road with me so I can go ahead and finish [school]. But yeah, I would love to go to college, take some classes; on what I don't know yet. But I want to go to college and just experience. I have a lot of younger cousins in college right now, and I'm always telling them "Man, while you're on that campus take advantage of it." I wish I would have finished.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? -- Mick
In 10 years, I want to still be on the road. I want to be like those amazing women like Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Patti and even Stevie [Wonder]; those legends who have been around for years that can still hit the stage right now as we speak and tear it up. I want to be like those amazing artists: be around for years, still singing, still touring and just have a blessed life. Whatever blessed door opens that Fantasia can be a part of, look for me there. I'll be there.