Fantasia (2006)

On the surface, season 3 American Idol winner Fantasia has only one thing on her mind in her second effort: boys! It's a theme that permeates Fantasia, whether she's advocating that her lover receive a bedroom Oscar in ''I Nominate U,'' firing a boyfriend without severance in ''Two Weeks Notice,'' or extolling the virtues of her reproductively blessed curves in ''Baby Makin Hips.'' The album's subtle appeal isn't evident on the first listen — Fantasia doesn't break into the gritty vocal gymnastics that defined her run on Idol. (It's curious that collaborators like Missy Elliott and Dre & Vidal penned songs with such narrow ranges.) But of all the new Idol-connected entries (see Taylor Hicks, Kellie Pickler's Small Town Girl, and Daughtry), this one comes closest to showcasing an artist who has something original to contribute to the industry. Many of the midtempo ballads (like ''When I See U'' and ''Only One U'') are poppy blasts, and ''Hood Boy,'' with its opening salvo of horns and a vocal assist from Big Boi, is one of the best R&B numbers of the year.

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