Back to Me

Back to Me is the third studio album by American singer Fantasia. It was released by J Records on August 24, 2010. Her first project in four years, much of the album was conceived after Fantasia had ventured into musical acting, starring as Celie in the Broadway musical The Color Purple, with production provided by Chuck Harmony, Jim Jonsin, Los Da Mystro, Pop & Oak and others. The album's title was suggested to her by comedian Steve Harvey, when Barrino visited his morning radio program. The album earned largely positive reviews from music critics who declared it a strong comeback. Back to Me sold 117,000 in its first week, debuting at number two on the US Billboard 200 and at number one on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming her highest-charting album by then. The album received a Best R&B Album nod at the Grammy Awards, while lead single "Bittersweet" won in the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance category. To promote the album, Barrino embarked on her first solo concert tour, Back to Me Tour in the fall of 2010. Background Fantasia received two Grammy Award nominations for her self titled sophomore release (2016). In 2008, she began work on her then-untitled third studio album. In June 2008, Bruce Waynne and Kevin Risto from production duo Midi Mafia announced that they would produce the majority of the project. Also, duo Rock City and songwriter-producers Rich King, Eric Hudson and Raphael Saadiq became involved on the project. Fantasia confirmed that about 75 percent of the album was complete by mid-2009, and that fans should've expected a new single by the fall of 2009, with the album due to be released in early 2010. This was later delayed, and while recording additional material, Fantasia decided to do a great deal of it the "old fashioned way," inviting a live orchestra to record in the studio with her. In addition, J Records recruited Claude Kelly to add a more contemporary, commercial sound to the album. In May 2010, the album was announced to be released on July 27, 2010. It was later again pushed back to August 10, 2010, and finally to August 24, 2010. To promote the album, Barrino embarked on her first solo concert tour, Back to Me Tour in the fall of 2010.