Fantasia to release “Back To Me”

After providing viewers with a sneak peek into the recording process on her hit VH1 reality show Fantasia For Real, Grammy-nominated songstress Fantasia will release her highly-anticipated third studio album Back to Me on July 27th on J Records. Back to Me will be available for pre-order on June 22ND at iTunes and Amazon.

Leading the way with the official first single “Bittersweet,” which is currently #9 on the Urban Adult Airplay chart, Back To Me is an emotionally charged album which features a sole guest appearance by Cee-Lo Green and songs written and/or produced by Ne-Yo, Claude Kelly, Chuck Harmony Rico Love, Jim Jonsin, KP & Malay. Also available for the first time as a bonus track is “I’m Here,” Fantasia’s signature song from her acting role as “Celie” in the Broadway play The Color Purple.

Comedian, actor and radio personality Steve Harvey also became involved in the album process by coming up with the album title after a recent radio interview with the songstress. “Steve Harvey suggested the album title and it describes perfectly where I am in my life right now,” states Fantasia. “I’ve willingly let the world into my life through my book, the Lifetime television movie and now the VH1 reality show. Now, it’s time to go back to how things used to be when America first laid their eyes on me on American Idol. I want to focus everyone’s attention back to me and back to music that everyone can relate to and enjoy.”

In 2004, the High Point, North Carolina native became the season three winner of Fox’s American Idol. Later that year, Fantasia released her platinum-selling debut album Free Yourself on J Records and became the first artist in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart to debut at #1 with her first single, “I Believe.” Fantasia’s second single, “Truth Is,” spent 14 weeks at #1, thus making her the first singer to simultaneously have two of the top three songs on the Billboard chart. Fantasia’s 2006 eponymous second album featured the #1 R&B single, “When I See U,” and reached gold status.

In addition to being an eight-time Grammy-nominated singer, in 2005 Fantasia authored her first memoir, Life is Not a Fairytale and made her acting debut starring as herself in the Lifetime television movie based on the book. In 2007, Fantasia continued her acting career and received rave reviews for her portrayal of “Celie” in the Broadway play The Color Purple.