"Ugly" is a song recorded by American singer Fantasia for her fifth studio album, The Definition Of... (2016). It was released by 19 Recordings and RCA Records on April 7, 2016, as a promotional single from the album. Produced by Ron Fair, the song was written by Audra Mae and Nicolle Galyon. A departure from the hip-hop and R&B sound of Fantasia's previous studio albums, the track is a country and popballad revolving around body image and female empowerment. Media outlets had varying opinions of the song's genre and its content; Fantasia said that it was inspired by her childhood.
"Ugly" received a mixed response from critics, who were divided over Fantasia's foray into country music. Fantasia performed part of it during the American Idol series finale, which earned positive reviews from media outlets. She also dedicated the song to her daughter Zion during a July 28, 2016, concert broadcast on BET.
While recording her fifth studio album The Definition Of... (2016), Fantasia sought to have more creative control over her music and image. Frustrated with the amount of record label interference in the past, she described executives' plans to determine her sound and style as "prostituting the artist's gift," and wanted to avoid such influences on the album.[1][2] She attributed her determination to reclaim her career to adjustments she made to her personal life following her 2014 performances in the Broadway musical After Midnight, specifically her choice to spend seven months focusing on her personal well-being and her subsequent marriage to businessman Kendall Taylor.[2]
In an interview with AOL, Fantasia said that she wanted to record a country song to experiment with different musical genres.[1] During its production, The Definition Of... was initially titled Pot of Soup to reflect this choice to explore various styles of music.[2] She included country music as part of "rock soul" a genre she introduced on her previous release Side Effects of You (2013).[3][4] She defined rock soul as combining the musical styles of Tina Turner, James Brown, and Prince as well as including elements of "jazz, country, gospel, pop and, most important to her, live instrumentation".[2]
"Ugly' was written by Audra Mae and Nicolle Galyon and produced by Ron Fair.[5] Fantasia's vocals were produced and arranged by Fair. They were also engineered by Fair and Pat Thrall at Faircraft Studios in Brentwood, California. The instrumental parts were also recorded and arranged by Fair. Paul Jackson Jr. played the guitar on the track, while the strings were recorded by Steve Genewick.[5]
Composition and lyricsEdit
"Ugly"
The Boombox's Amber McKynzie described "Ugly" as a "country-esque pop ballad.[6] It features a "soulful piano arrangement".[7]
Backed by a "soulful piano arrangement",[7] "Ugly" is a departure from Fantasia's previous output of "bouncy hip-hop singles" and "groovy R&B slow burns".[6]The Boombox's Amber McKynzie referred to the single as a "country-esque pop ballad",[6] while The Guardian's Alex Macpherson called it an "outright country moment".[8] Chris Campbell of the Knoxville News Sentinel said the track was a "piano-based melodrama";[9]Entertainment Weekly's Chuck Arnold compared the composition to a show tune.[10]
The single's lyrics cover a variety of issues, ranging from "body image, class division, an unhappy marriage and alcoholism".[8] "Ugly" opens with Fantasia narrating a tragic story about a woman with a "picket fence, two-car garage and a man that she don't love".[7] She advocates for female empowerment and explores expectations regarding beauty with lyrics like: "With dirt on my hands and scrapes on my knees/Feeling like nothing can wash it off clean/Tell your girls it's a beautiful thing/Just trust me/It's far from ugly."[6] The lyrics also feature the importance of love, with Fantasia singing: "Thank you for that good good man who loves me."[7] Alex Mcpherson interpreted Fantasia's delivery of the lyric "Give me good food that sticks to my bones" as incorporating gospel elements into the song.[8]
Music critics interpreted the lyrics as encompassing various meanings.[7][11][12] Mike Wass wrote that Fantasia provides advice on life through "Ugly".[7] Sarah Grant of Rolling Stone found the single to be a reflection of past struggles - her attempted suicide, an affair with a married man, an abortion, and a battle with depression.[11] Amber McKynzie compared its lyrical content to TLC's 1999 single "Unpretty",[6] and Lauren Craddock of Billboard interpreted the main theme as "embracing the beauty in individuality".[12] When discussing the message behind "Ugly", Fantasia said that she wanted to help someone, and said: "My grandmother taught me that your test will help someone along the way."[11] During an interview with People, she explained that she intended for the track to reach "every young girl out there who's gonna go through everything I went through, and more" as well as older women.[13] Connecting the lyrics with her own childhood, Fantasia said: "I was very insecure growing up, and even though I'm not that girl anymore, I think that the passion, that not feeling pretty and being insecure is where my soul came from. And from early childhood, I let it free onstage."[11]
Release and promotionEdit
"Ugly" was first released when Fantasia uploaded an audio-video to her official Vevo account on April 6, 2017.[14] The following day, she debuted the track live during the American Idol series finale,[15] singing a portion of the single, which Billboard's Michele Amabile Angermiller called a "sneak peek".[16] The song was made available through digital platforms on midnight of the same day.[15][17] Along with "So Blue" (2016), it was one of two promotional singles made available prior to the album's release.[18]
Fantasia's performance on American Idol earned positive feedback from media outlets. Entertainment Weekly's Justin Kirkland wrote that Fantasia did an "unbelievable performance" of the track.[19] Michael Slezak of TVLine praised her choice to sing a country song as showcasing her ability to be "absolutely transcendent in the genre".[20] Fantasia also sang "Ugly" during a July 28, 2016, concert broadcast on BET,[21] (the first in a series of live concerts on the cable channel).[22] During her performance, she dedicated the song to her daughter Zion.[12]
Critical receptionEdit
Critical response was mixed. Alex Mcpherson cited "Ugly" as an example of 2016's R&B/country trend, and praised it for "captur[ing] the emotional blood and guts at the core of both genres".[8] Sarah Grant described the single as "one of the more evocative songs on the album",[11] and Michael Slezak commended its hook as the catchiest in Fantasia's music catalog.[20]Between the Lines' Chris Azzopardi wrote that the song was a "welcome country detour",[23] though AllMusic's Andy Kellman panned it as a "contemporary country number seemingly written by an algorithm".[24] Wass panned the lyrics as "veer[ing] dangerously close to schmaltz", though he felt the hook had potential for strong crossover appeal. He viewed it as an improvement over Fantasia's previous single "No Time for It" (2016).[7]
^ ab"Fantasia On "The Definition Of..."". AOL. July 28, 2016. from the original on August 18, 2017.
^ abcdKennedy, Gerrick D. (August 13, 2016). "Fantasia is in control, and finally happy: 'I'm the definition of strength'". Los Angeles Times. from the original on July 10, 2017.
^"New Music: Fantasia – 'Ugly' Rap-Up". Rap-Up. April 6, 2016. from the original on August 18, 2017.
^. Billboard. June 8, 2014. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016.
^ abcdeMcKynzie, Amber (July 29, 2016). "Top 5 Tracks on Fantasia's 'The Definition Of…'". The Boombox. Archived from the original on December 30, 2016.
^ abcdefgWass, Mike (April 6, 2016). "Fantasia Shares Life Advice On Powerful New Ballad "Ugly"". Idolator. from the original on December 20, 2016.
^ abcdMacpherson, Alex (August 22, 2016). "The best R&B of 2016 has nothing to do with Frank Ocean". The Guardian. from the original on June 22, 2017.
^Campbell, Chuck (August 2, 2016). "Music review: Fantasia's 'Definition' is both classic, offbeat". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
^Arnold, Chuck (July 27, 2016). . Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 28, 2016.
^ abcdeGrant, Sarah (August 10, 2016). "How R. Kelly Inspired Fantasia's Triumphant Rock-Soul Return". Rolling Stone. from the original on August 10, 2016.
^ abcCraddock, Lauren (July 25, 2016). "Fantasia Delivers Career-Spanning Performance for BET Concert Special". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 30, 2016.
^Nelson, Jeff (August 4, 2016). "Fantasia on Black Body Positivity and Her Journey from Teen Mom to Happily Married Music Star: 'I Wouldn't Change a Thing'". People. from the original on March 13, 2017.
^Apaza, Kevin (April 6, 2016). . Directlyrics. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016.
^ ab"Fantasia To Perform "Ugly" On American Idol Series Finale". RCA Records. August 11, 2016. from the original on July 1, 2016.
^Angermiller, Michele Amabile (April 9, 2016). "'American Idol' Winner Fantasia Barrino Talks 3 Divas Reunion, Album Plans & More". Billboard. from the original on June 13, 2017.
^ abc. iTunes Store. April 7, 2016. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Alt URL July 27, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
^Augustin, Camille (April 21, 2016). "Fantasia Debuts New Upbeat Melody "So Blue"". Vibe. from the original on November 16, 2017.
^Kirkland, Justin (April 8, 2016). "American Idol finale recap: Winner Chosen". Entertainment Weekly. from the original on May 25, 2016.
^ abSlezak, Michael (April 22, 2016). "TV on the Radio: Listen to New Tracks from Idol's Kris Allen, Haley Reinhart, Fantasia, Pia Toscano and More!". TVLine. from the original on May 6, 2017.
^The Definition Of... Fantasia (TV special). United States: BET. July 28, 2016.
^Coppage, Wanda J (August 2, 2016). "Fantasia Performs for BET Live Concert, Talks New Album & Overcoming Suicidal Thoughts". Music Times. from the original on August 3, 2016.
^Azzopardi, Chris (August 11, 2016). "Hear Me Out: Lori McKenna, Tegan and Sara". Between the Lines. from the original on April 11, 2017.
^Kellman, Andy (July 29, 2016). "AllMusic Review by Andy Kellman". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 30, 2016.
ugly, fantasia, song, ugly, song, recorded, american, singer, fantasia, fifth, studio, album, definition, 2016, released, recordings, records, april, 2016, promotional, single, from, album, produced, fair, song, written, audra, nicolle, galyon, departure, from. Ugly is a song recorded by American singer Fantasia for her fifth studio album The Definition Of 2016 It was released by 19 Recordings and RCA Records on April 7 2016 as a promotional single from the album Produced by Ron Fair the song was written by Audra Mae and Nicolle Galyon A departure from the hip hop and R amp B sound of Fantasia s previous studio albums the track is a country and pop ballad revolving around body image and female empowerment Media outlets had varying opinions of the song s genre and its content Fantasia said that it was inspired by her childhood Ugly Promotional single by Fantasiafrom the album The Definition Of ReleasedApril 7 2016 2016 04 07 Recorded2014 15StudioFaircraft Studios Brentwood GenreCountry popLength3 20Label19 Recordings RCASongwriter s Audra Mae Nicolle GalyonProducer s Ron Fair Ugly received a mixed response from critics who were divided over Fantasia s foray into country music Fantasia performed part of it during the American Idol series finale which earned positive reviews from media outlets She also dedicated the song to her daughter Zion during a July 28 2016 concert broadcast on BET Contents 1 Background and recording 2 Composition and lyrics 3 Release and promotion 4 Critical reception 5 Track listing 6 Credits and personnel 7 Release history 8 References 9 External linksBackground and recording EditWhile recording her fifth studio album The Definition Of 2016 Fantasia sought to have more creative control over her music and image Frustrated with the amount of record label interference in the past she described executives plans to determine her sound and style as prostituting the artist s gift and wanted to avoid such influences on the album 1 2 She attributed her determination to reclaim her career to adjustments she made to her personal life following her 2014 performances in the Broadway musical After Midnight specifically her choice to spend seven months focusing on her personal well being and her subsequent marriage to businessman Kendall Taylor 2 In an interview with AOL Fantasia said that she wanted to record a country song to experiment with different musical genres 1 During its production The Definition Of was initially titled Pot of Soup to reflect this choice to explore various styles of music 2 She included country music as part of rock soul a genre she introduced on her previous release Side Effects of You 2013 3 4 She defined rock soul as combining the musical styles of Tina Turner James Brown and Prince as well as including elements of jazz country gospel pop and most important to her live instrumentation 2 Ugly was written by Audra Mae and Nicolle Galyon and produced by Ron Fair 5 Fantasia s vocals were produced and arranged by Fair They were also engineered by Fair and Pat Thrall at Faircraft Studios in Brentwood California The instrumental parts were also recorded and arranged by Fair Paul Jackson Jr played the guitar on the track while the strings were recorded by Steve Genewick 5 Composition and lyrics Edit Ugly source source The Boombox s Amber McKynzie described Ugly as a country esque pop ballad 6 It features a soulful piano arrangement 7 Problems playing this file See media help Backed by a soulful piano arrangement 7 Ugly is a departure from Fantasia s previous output of bouncy hip hop singles and groovy R amp B slow burns 6 The Boombox s Amber McKynzie referred to the single as a country esque pop ballad 6 while The Guardian s Alex Macpherson called it an outright country moment 8 Chris Campbell of the Knoxville News Sentinel said the track was a piano based melodrama 9 Entertainment Weekly s Chuck Arnold compared the composition to a show tune 10 The single s lyrics cover a variety of issues ranging from body image class division an unhappy marriage and alcoholism 8 Ugly opens with Fantasia narrating a tragic story about a woman with a picket fence two car garage and a man that she don t love 7 She advocates for female empowerment and explores expectations regarding beauty with lyrics like With dirt on my hands and scrapes on my knees Feeling like nothing can wash it off clean Tell your girls it s a beautiful thing Just trust me It s far from ugly 6 The lyrics also feature the importance of love with Fantasia singing Thank you for that good good man who loves me 7 Alex Mcpherson interpreted Fantasia s delivery of the lyric Give me good food that sticks to my bones as incorporating gospel elements into the song 8 Music critics interpreted the lyrics as encompassing various meanings 7 11 12 Mike Wass wrote that Fantasia provides advice on life through Ugly 7 Sarah Grant of Rolling Stone found the single to be a reflection of past struggles her attempted suicide an affair with a married man an abortion and a battle with depression 11 Amber McKynzie compared its lyrical content to TLC s 1999 single Unpretty 6 and Lauren Craddock of Billboard interpreted the main theme as embracing the beauty in individuality 12 When discussing the message behind Ugly Fantasia said that she wanted to help someone and said My grandmother taught me that your test will help someone along the way 11 During an interview with People she explained that she intended for the track to reach every young girl out there who s gonna go through everything I went through and more as well as older women 13 Connecting the lyrics with her own childhood Fantasia said I was very insecure growing up and even though I m not that girl anymore I think that the passion that not feeling pretty and being insecure is where my soul came from And from early childhood I let it free onstage 11 Release and promotion Edit Ugly was first released when Fantasia uploaded an audio video to her official Vevo account on April 6 2017 14 The following day she debuted the track live during the American Idol series finale 15 singing a portion of the single which Billboard s Michele Amabile Angermiller called a sneak peek 16 The song was made available through digital platforms on midnight of the same day 15 17 Along with So Blue 2016 it was one of two promotional singles made available prior to the album s release 18 Fantasia s performance on American Idol earned positive feedback from media outlets Entertainment Weekly s Justin Kirkland wrote that Fantasia did an unbelievable performance of the track 19 Michael Slezak of TVLine praised her choice to sing a country song as showcasing her ability to be absolutely transcendent in the genre 20 Fantasia also sang Ugly during a July 28 2016 concert broadcast on BET 21 the first in a series of live concerts on the cable channel 22 During her performance she dedicated the song to her daughter Zion 12 Critical reception EditCritical response was mixed Alex Mcpherson cited Ugly as an example of 2016 s R amp B country trend and praised it for captur ing the emotional blood and guts at the core of both genres 8 Sarah Grant described the single as one of the more evocative songs on the album 11 and Michael Slezak commended its hook as the catchiest in Fantasia s music catalog 20 Between the Lines Chris Azzopardi wrote that the song was a welcome country detour 23 though AllMusic s Andy Kellman panned it as a contemporary country number seemingly written by an algorithm 24 Wass panned the lyrics as veer ing dangerously close to schmaltz though he felt the hook had potential for strong crossover appeal He viewed it as an improvement over Fantasia s previous single No Time for It 2016 7 Track listing EditDigital download 17 No TitleLength1 Ugly 3 20Credits and personnel EditCredits adapted from the liner notes of The Definition Of 19 Recordings RCA 5 ManagementRock Soul Records 19 Recordings Limited RCA Records Recording locationsMusic recording Faircraft Studios Brentwood PersonnelArranged By Arranged By Strings Arranged By Vocals Bass Harmonica Conductor Conductor Strings Percussion Piano Producer Ron Fair Backing Vocals Vocals Fantasia Engineer Recording Pat Thrall Ron Fair Guitar Paul Jackson Jr Recorded By Strings Steve Genewick Written By Audra Mae Nicolle GalyonRelease history EditCountry Date Format LabelWorldwide April 7 2016 Digital download 17 RCA 19References Edit a b Fantasia On The Definition Of AOL July 28 2016 Archived from the original on August 18 2017 a b c d Kennedy Gerrick D August 13 2016 Fantasia is in control and finally happy I m the definition of strength Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on July 10 2017 New Music Fantasia Ugly Rap Up Rap Up April 6 2016 Archived from the original on August 18 2017 Fantasia Q amp A Still Full of Joy Ten Years In Fifth Album amp After Midnight Billboard June 8 2014 Archived from the original on April 25 2016 a b c The Definition Of 19 Recordings RCA Inlay cover Fantasia July 29 2016 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b c d e McKynzie Amber July 29 2016 Top 5 Tracks on Fantasia s The Definition Of The Boombox Archived from the original on December 30 2016 a b c d e f g Wass Mike April 6 2016 Fantasia Shares Life Advice On Powerful New Ballad Ugly Idolator Archived from the original on December 20 2016 a b c d Macpherson Alex August 22 2016 The best R amp B of 2016 has nothing to do with Frank Ocean The Guardian Archived from the original on June 22 2017 Campbell Chuck August 2 2016 Music review Fantasia s Definition is both classic offbeat Knoxville News Sentinel Retrieved August 12 2017 Arnold Chuck July 27 2016 Fantasia s The Definition Of EW Review Entertainment Weekly Archived from the original on July 28 2016 a b c d e Grant Sarah August 10 2016 How R Kelly Inspired Fantasia s Triumphant Rock Soul Return Rolling Stone Archived from the original on August 10 2016 a b c Craddock Lauren July 25 2016 Fantasia Delivers Career Spanning Performance for BET Concert Special Billboard Archived from the original on December 30 2016 Nelson Jeff August 4 2016 Fantasia on Black Body Positivity and Her Journey from Teen Mom to Happily Married Music Star I Wouldn t Change a Thing People Archived from the original on March 13 2017 Apaza Kevin April 6 2016 Fantasia Goes Country With New Single Ugly Take A Listen Directlyrics Archived from the original on June 11 2016 a b Fantasia To Perform Ugly On American Idol Series Finale RCA Records August 11 2016 Archived from the original on July 1 2016 Angermiller Michele Amabile April 9 2016 American Idol Winner Fantasia Barrino Talks 3 Divas Reunion Album Plans amp More Billboard Archived from the original on June 13 2017 a b c Ugly Single iTunes Store April 7 2016 Archived from the original on August 14 2017 Alt URL Archived July 27 2016 at the Wayback Machine Augustin Camille April 21 2016 Fantasia Debuts New Upbeat Melody So Blue Vibe Archived from the original on November 16 2017 Kirkland Justin April 8 2016 American Idol finale recap Winner Chosen Entertainment Weekly Archived from the original on May 25 2016 a b Slezak Michael April 22 2016 TV on the Radio Listen to New Tracks from Idol s Kris Allen Haley Reinhart Fantasia Pia Toscano and More TVLine Archived from the original on May 6 2017 The Definition Of Fantasia TV special United States BET July 28 2016 Coppage Wanda J August 2 2016 Fantasia Performs for BET Live Concert Talks New Album amp Overcoming Suicidal Thoughts Music Times Archived from the original on August 3 2016 Azzopardi Chris August 11 2016 Hear Me Out Lori McKenna Tegan and Sara Between the Lines Archived from the original on April 11 2017 Kellman Andy July 29 2016 AllMusic Review by Andy Kellman AllMusic Archived from the original on December 30 2016 External links Edit Ugly Audio on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ugly Fantasia song amp oldid 1121983850, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
