Is she maddening? Misguided? Even slightly on the messy side? Sure. But what stands out the most about Fantasia Barrino is her way of channeling those raw edges and unguarded emotions into song. It’s been these undeniable qualities that have sustained her since her historic 2004 American Idol victory and won her a standing ovation when she returned to the program’s center stage and performed “Lose To Win.”

Thanks to a tumultuous personal life (a new son, a married ex-boyfriend and all of the drama that comes with it) and a complicated relationship with the press (see last month’s issue of Jet Magazine), it hasn’t been all roses and rainbows for the 28-year-old Grammy-Award winner, but what she demonstrates with her fourth studio CD, Side Effects Of You, is that she’s still raw, still resilient and more than adventurous enough….(click here to read the rest of the review)