Image Credit: VH1I’ll be honest: I probably wouldn’t have watched last night’s Behind the Music episode had it not been for Fantasia’s intense personal struggles the past few weeks. As a casual fan of the singer — I’ve never read Fantasia’s autobiography about her rise from rags to riches or watched her VH1 reality series, though I do enjoy her music — I was partly interested to hear about her troubled past (which was as heartbreaking as I had expected), but I had mostly tuned in to hear her talk about her Aug. 9 suicide attempt. The special, which was completed earlier this month before the singer’s public troubles, had been updated to include a new interview.
As it turns out, if you watched the singer’s appearance on Good Morning America, there wasn’t much new information on last night’s one-hour special. She reiterated that leading up to her hospitalization, she had been struggling to cope with the media attention surrounding her relationship with a married man and she also spoke about the mounting pressure of dealing with supporting her family. But the special did provide some perspective.
I knew Fantasia through Idol eyes, meaning I knew only what they had told me about her. I didn’t know about her rape at age 14, her struggle to overcome abusive relationships, and her strained relationship with her father. When a large part of an artist’s appeal is their ability to overcome the odds, I tend to naively believe the hard part is over for them. I supposed that is why it is so sad and shocking that this American Idol winner with an inspiring story has yet to escape all of her personal demons. In a segment of interview done before the media storm, she admitted to struggling with her insecurities.
Cynics have their opinion of the singer and her personal life — as she said last night, that can’t be helped. I won’t touch on that because I’m more curious as to how she will rise above all of this. Before Fantasia’s struggles caught your attention, did you know she was coming out with a new album, which was released yesterday? Sadly, I didn’t, and that got me thinking. How can the singer prevent her personal life from overshadowing the music? She did, after all, win Idol to make music — not tabloid covers.
Was this all a publicity stunt?
Let’s see…… half-assed suicide attempt before an album comes out? Yeah, this was a stunt.
While I do feel sad for Fantasia, I wish she exercised better judgment in her personal life. Supporting her good-for-nothing family members? Dating a married man?
As for public attention, this is just a part of the business…
iiDNT THiiNK SHE iiS A HOE..SUM PPL JUS NEED TOO STOP JUDGiiNG FANTAiiSA JUS LiiKE THA OLD SAYiiN YU CANT JUDGE A BOOK BY iiTS COVER…HER CD iiS AWESOME FANTAiiSA iiS ANOTHER AFRiiCAN AMERiiCAN WOMAN TRYiiN TOO MAKE iiT..FROM HER KNOWLEDGE SHE THOUGHT DAT MAN HAD LEFT HiiS WiiFE..UGH iiHATE SHE iiS GOiiN THROUGH SO MUCH…iiAM ONE OF HER FANS ALSO!!!
She should have called her cd “I’m a Ho.”
Oh really now…..I think not!
I think “I’m a Nasty Ho” sounds better.
SHE iiS NOT A HOE!!!!
And you should change your screen name to “Yeah Um IGNANT” spelled that way because of your ignorance
That reply was to both jmfs & Riley
Why is that how people refer to you as and that’s the only word you know. Sicko
WOULD YOU SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT ALECIA KEYS? IF FANTASIA IS A HO (AS YOU SAY), WHAT WHOULD THAT MAKE ALECIA KEYS (WHO, BY THE WAY, DATED A MARRIED MAN FOR 3 YEARS AND GOT PREGNANT, THEN MARRIED HIM JUST DAYS AFTER HIS DIVORCE)?
I think not!
how slow!
She just needs to make better decisions and take care of her business. Stop supporting everybody like MC Hammer. She’s no more a H0 that Alicia Key or Gabby Union. I didn’t care for her daddy though.
I’m tired of the boo-hoo, I’ve had a tough childhood angle.
Didn’t know she was famous enough to have a behind the music episode.
Adwina, I bet u some ugly bytch with low self esteem. Who wakes up everyday wishing u was somebody else. Take ya racist ass comments else where. Evidently she doing something right.. she made u take time out of your day to comment. If u and whoever think it was a PR stunt.. then dont give it life. As u can see, u taking time out to comment. FACT IS: she can sing. she has talent.. unlike so many people in the industry today. Glad she is doing better. No one knows your situation but u. We are all humans.
News Flash:
Ebonics is not a language. Please write in English.
Didnt know this was english class. U got the picture didnt u? NEXT!
Man really these hoes on here need to get you some ends about urself
womp womp.
I must say I was a HUGE Tasia fan. I knew about her personal struggles prior to winning idol, I’ve watched most of her interviews and watched her crazy/funny reality show. Mainly because I love her music and I feel she has overcome a lot. But ever since this whole suicide debacle and her stated “reasoning” behind it, I have felt like it has all been for publicity sake and it makes me no longer want to be a fan of hers. She has a child and I believe she (Tasia) is now at the age where she should be making better decisions. I am very disappointed because I really liked her.
I agree, she needs better management. None of the decisions she has made recently have been in GOOD judgement and doing this Behind The Music was NOT a good idea right now. It made her seem like a liar. Her father basically said the whole BOOK was a lie; who’s to say this Behind the Music was NOT a total lie….Besides who gets raped at school and because the entire school finds out; you quit school and don’t press charges on the suspect?? Come on now…if this was true the school would have gotten involved….ALL THESE LIES….I’m NO LONGER A FAN!!!
you just don’t become a non fan if you weren’t really a true one to begin with.
yes you sit up here and believe every word her father says. a father who basically told her it was her fault that she got raped, and was absent from her life.
you don’t know fantasia, but yet you use what you’ve read to judge her. really? go somewhere.
I was a fan during her Idol run, and wish her no ill will. But she “attempts” suicide to coincide with her album release. Rather convenient, don’t you think?!
Money can’t buy you happiness. O.K. you have made bad choices. Now take a step back and make better decisions. Stay away from toxic people be a role model for your little girl.
Wish Fantasia the best! You can’t save “everybody”, try and save “YOURSELF” Fantasia. Sometimes you have to love from a distance….even family!
I’m not totally convinced this was a fake suicide attempt but the timing is *funny* to say the least. If it was a fake attempt, will this become a trend? How low will artists go to sell CDs? First sex tapes and now this…the entertainment industry becomes more and more disgusting everyday.
@ARYANNA…BELLA PROLLY DOES LOOK LIKE A HOT MESS..LOL..PPL KILL ME ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THEY DONT CARE ABOUT THIS THEY DONT CARE ABOUT THAT BUT GO TO THESE BOLG SITES EVERYDAY JUST TO COMMENT ON THE THINGS THEY DONT LIKE..SMH..I DIDNT KNOW IT WAS A ENGLISH CLASS EITHER..ROADKILL I MEAN ROEKEST MUST BE OUR PROFESSOR LOL FANTASIA IS DOIN HER THING CUZ SHE HAS GOD BEHIND HER AND THATS ALL SHE NEEDS..END OF STORY
AND I DONT THINK IT WAS A PR STUNT..U DONT KNOW WHAT THOSE PILLS CAN DO TO YOU..ESPECIALLY IN THESE DAYS AND TIMES..IF SHE WOULD HAVE DIED THEN WHAT WOULD SHE GET IN RETURN..NOTHIN! I THINK SHE WAS JUST STRESSED OUT FROM IT ALL..BUT SOMETHING IN HER TOLD HER TO KEEP GOIN KEEP PUSHIN..TO NOT LET THIS GET THE BEST OF HER.. AND SHE DID JUST THAT.
I think your Caps Lock button is on.
I THINK I KNO
Was it too much work to type the W?
She’s in a rush, she needs to hurry up and pick up her welfare check and food stamps.
lol….@ Tiara…lol Uncle Gabby.. Was it too much work to get a better name?