One of the few females to figure prominently in the 56th Grammy Awards nominations was Fantasia Barrino. The winner of the third season of the reality show American Idol (AI), Fantasia is generally acknowledged as one of the best singers to emerge from the long-running talent show and also one of the most successful. In fact her rendition of Summertime ranks as one of Idol’s most memorable moments and she has since then earned good reviews for her work.
Her personal life though has been largely tumultuous and a constant source of fodder for the tabloids what with ugly rumors of an abortion, a suicide attempt, a love triangle and other scandals in the news. Those who believe in her are hopeful she can find happiness and peace of mind soon. Happily though, these emotional upheavals have not in any way affected her growth as an artist and Fantasia has continued to amaze with outstanding performances as an actress on the Broadway stage and as a recording artist.
Fantasia won her first Grammy two years ago for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the song Bittersweet from the album Back To Me. Before this, she was honored with three nominations for her album Free Yourself, for Female R&B Vocals for Free Yourself and Summertime and for Best R&B Album in 2005. She got three more for her next release for Best Contemporary R&B Album for Fantasia and for Best Female R&B Vocals for When I See You in 2007.
Come Grammy night on Jan. 26, 2014 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Fantasia will be up for trophies for Best Traditional R&B Performance for Get It Right; Best R&B Song for Without Me, which she co-wrote and which features Kelly Rowland and Missy Elliot; and Best Urban Contemporary Album, Side Effects of You. The competition is steep, what with hot names like Anthony Hamilton and Tamar Braxton. As fans have doubtless noticed the Grammys does not anymore give separate awards to male and female artists and other categories. But once nominated there is always a chance.
Here now are the R&B, Hip-Hop, Urban and some of the other categories. For the full list, go to grammy.com.
R&B Performance: Love And War by Tamar Braxton; Best Of Me by Anthony Hamilton; Nakamarra by Hiatus Kalyote featuring Q-Tip; How Many Drinks by Miguel feat. Kendrick Lamar; Something by Snarky Puppy with Lalah Hathaway.
Traditional R&B Performance: Please Come Home by Gary Clarke Jr., Get It Right by Fantasia; Quiet Fire by Maysa; Hey Laura by Gregory Porter; Yesterday by Ryan Shaw.
R&B Song: Best Of Me by Anthony Hamilton; Love And War by Tamar Braxton; Only One by PJ Morton feat. Stevie Wonder; Pusher Love Girl by Justin Timberlake; Without Me by Fantasia feat. Kelly Rowland and Missy Elliot.
Urban Contemporary Album: Love And War by Tamar Braxton; Side Effects Of You by Fantasia; One In The Chamber by Salaam Remi; Unapologetic by Rihanna; New York A Love Story by Mark Wilds.
R&B Album: R&B Divas by Faith Evans; Girl On Fire by Alicia Keys; Love In The Future by John Legend; Better by Chrisette Michele; Three Kings by TGT.
Rap Performance: Started From The Bottom by Drake; Berzerk by Eminem; Tom Ford by Jay-Z; Swimming Pools (Drank) by Kendrick Lamar; Thrift Shop by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
Rap Sung Collaboration: Power Trip by J. Cole feat. Miguel; Part II (On The Run) by Jay-Z feat. Beyoncé; Holy Grail by Jay-Z feat. Justin Timberlake; Now Or Never by Kendrick Lamar feat. Mary J. Blige; Remember You by Wiz Khalifa feat. The Weekend.
Rap Song: F***in Problems by ASAP Rocky feat. Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar; Holy Grail by Jay-Z; New Slaves by Kanye West; Started From The Bottom by Drake; Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.
Rap Album: Nothing Was The Same by Drake; Magna Carta - Holy Grail by Jay-Z; The Heist by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis; Yeezus by Kanye West.
Musical Theater Album: Kinky Boots; Matilda, The Musical; Motown, The Musical.
Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: Django Unchained; The Great Gatsby; Les Miserables; Muscle Shoals; Sound City Real to Reel.
Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: Argo; The Great Gatsby; Life of Pi; Lincoln; Skyfall; Zero Dark Thirty.
Song Written for Visual Media: Atlas by Coldplay from The Hunger Games; Silver Lining by Jessie J from Silver Linings Playbook; Skyfall by Adele from Skyfall; We Both Know by Colbie Caillat feat. Gavin DeGraw from Safe Haven; Young And Beautiful by Lana del Rey from The Great Gatsby; You Got Time by Regina Spektor from Orange is the New Black.
Music Video: Safe And Sound by Capital Cities; Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film by Jay-Z; Can’t Hold Us by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis; Suit & Tie by Justin Timberlake; I’m Shakin’ by Jack White.
Best Music Film which used to be called the Long Form Music Video: Live 2012 by Coldplay; Cuatro! by Green Day; I’m In I’m Out And I’m Gone: The Making of Get Up by Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite; Live Kisses by Paul McCartney; and The Road To Red Rocks by Mumford & Sons.