NEW YORK (J Records) - J/19 recording artist
Fantasia - who will co-host the 19th annual Soul
Train Awards on March 12th - takes a giant step toward fulfilling the title of her debut album, FREE YOURSELF, as it passes the RIAA platinum sales mark this week and moves up to No 13-bullet on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and No 4 - bullet on the R&B chart (this week's 'Greatest Gainer' on both lists).
"Truth Is," the first single from FREE YOURSELF, has exploded on Urban radio and becomes Fantasia's first No 1 Urban Adult chart-topper this week. The record also came in at No 9 on the Urban Mainstream radio chart with Urban radio tallying big reaction to "Baby Mama" and "Free Yourself" from the album - look for one of them to emerge as the follow-up single to "Truth Is."
Back in December, Fantasia personally debuted the promotional video for "Truth Is" (directed by Diane Martel) on BET's 106 & Park, where it stays in Power Rotation. She'll return to 106 & Park next Thursday, February 17th for a live performance of her hit "Truth Is." On February 22nd she's back singing "The Lord Will Bless Me Right Now" on BET's Celebration Of Gospel special.
In advance of next month's Soul Train Awards, Fantasia's millions of fans can catch her performance of "Truth Is" on the weekly show this Saturday, February 12th (please check local listings). In addition to co-hosting the Awards gala on March 12th with Nicole Richie, Brian McKnight and Nick Cannon, Fantasia will perform a medley of "Baby Mama" and "Free Yourself" on the big night. Fantasia has also been nominated for a Soul Train Award herself as Best New Artist, R&B/Soul or Rap (against Ciara, J-Kwon and John Legend).
In other awards news, Fantasia has also been nominated for Outstanding New Artist and Outstanding Female Artist at the NAACP Image Awards, to broadcast on Friday night, March 25th. The nominations indicate the overwhelming positive critical reaction that has greeted FREE YOURSELF. In fact, Fantasia has truly won her freedom - and the next phase of her career - as "the first American Idol to count as a discovery" (San Francisco Chronicle) and "the American Idol champ most likely to become a genuine pop idol" (People).
Fantasia first entered the pop music record books in June, when she became the first artist in the 49-year history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart to debut at No 1 with her debut single, "I Believe," which also set a one-week 2004 Soundscan sales record in the process. The song now serves as the climactic closing number of FREE YOURSELF, which also includes two other memorable Idol show-stoppers, the Gershwins' "Summertime" and "Chain Of Fools," a powerful homage to Fantasia's lifelong idol Aretha Franklin. "With the release of her first album," raved the New York Daily News, "... the now 20 year-old Barrino is ready to step out of the American Idol bubble and become a star in her own right."
