Frenchie Davis
Encyclopedia
Franchelle "Frenchie" Davis (born May 7, 1979; Washington, D.C.
) is an R&B singer and former contestant on the second season of the American reality television show American Idol
. Davis performed in Rent
on Broadway
in 2003. In 2011 Davis became a Top 8 semi-finalist and came in Second place on Christina Aguilera
's team on the first season of The Voice
.
of American Idol but was disqualified due to topless photos taken earlier in her career.
According to Davis, she was up-front about her pictures:
The Idol staff took no action then, but two months later, they decided that Davis's participation would be inappropriate. "They had decided that because American Idol was a family show, that they could not have me on the show because of the pictures I had taken – though they had never seen the pictures," she told EuroWeb. She also added that no one was able to find the pictures in question as the website that featured them had been taken down.
American Idol
contender Antonella Barba
surfaced on the internet, many drew parallels to a similar situation involving season two
contender Davis. In an interview conducted for The New York Post on Monday, March 5, 2007, Davis said,
Project Islamic H.O.P.E. activist Najee Ali has accused the show of racism: "It's obvious that it's a racial bias... when you have a situation where a black contestant is punished and a similar situation happens to a white contestant and there is no punishment and they're allowed to continue on the show". According to EuroWeb, Ali staged a protest in front of The Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, March 6, 2007. Protesters are seeking another chance for Davis at the competition. Former talk show co-host Rosie O’Donnell has commented on the Idol scandal; on The View, Tuesday, March 6, 2007, co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck
used the justification that Davis was paid for her pictures whereas Barba was not. Rosie's response: "I think it's racist. I do... I think it's because she's black".
in 2003. She sang the solo in the opening song of Act Two, Seasons of Love
, and in ensemble roles such as Mrs. Jefferson (Joanne's mom), a woman with bags, a coat vendor, Mrs. Marquez (Mimi's mom) and others. She also occasionally played the part of Joanne. On June 1, 2005, Davis returned to her previous role in the Broadway production of Rent. Davis had previously announced that she would leave Rent in May 2007, but announced her final performance following a mid-April 2007 show. During the weeks leading up to the April 29 performance of Rents 10-year reunion, Davis appeared in an iTunes Podcast (Rent: The PodCast). She also joined the original cast for a special encore performance.
In 2004, Davis was cast in the role of Effie in a West Coast-touring production of Dreamgirls
, which appeared in Sacramento, San Jose, and Seattle, and later went to Pittsburgh.
From August 3–19, 2007, Davis starred alongside Miche Braden and JMichael in the role of Mahalia Jackson
in the Hartford Stage
production of Mahalia: A Gospel Musical, written by Tom Stolz and directed by Jeremy B. Cohen.
In 2008, Davis, along with fellow second-season American Idol participants Ruben Studdard
and Trenyce Cobbins
, starred in the 30th-anniversary national tour of the musical revue Ain't Misbehavin'; the tour ran until May 2009.
In the fall of 2010, Frenchie was cast in the role of the Fairy Godmother in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella
(Enchanted) at Berkeley Playhouse, the resident theatre company at the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts in Berkeley, CA (www.berkeleyplayhouse.org).
single "You Are" that was released December 1, 2009 and peaked at number 5 on the Billboard hot clubplay chart. "You Are" was the debut single from Tony Moran
's album titled "Mix Magic Music".
, featuring celebrity judges/coaches Adam Levine
, Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera
and Blake Shelton
. In the first episode, she performed "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry
, advancing to the next round as a member of Aguilera's team of 8.
On the May 10th episode of The Voice, Frenchie competed in a sing off against Tarralyn Ramsey, both singing "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
" by Beyoncé
. Frenchie won and made it to the next round.
On the June 7th episode of The Voice, Frenchie performed "When Love Takes Over
" by David Guetta
and Kelly Rowland
. She was told, "You may very well have the strongest voice in this whole competition."
In the next week, it was announced that Frenchie did not win the fan vote from last week's performance, which would have allowed her to move on in the competition. However, her coach Christina Aguilera used her own vote to move Frenchie onto The Voices Elite 8.
On the June 21st episode of The Voice, featuring the Showdown of the Elite 8, Davis performed "Like A Prayer
" by Madonna
.
Frenchie Davis was eliminated during the semi-finals, finishing fifth overall. She will, however, still be joining the other members of the final eight contestants of the show: Javier Colon, Dia Frampton, Vicci Martinez
, Beverly McClellan
, Casey Weston
, Xenia
and Nakia
on a U.S. tour this summer.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) is an R&B singer and former contestant on the second season of the American reality television show American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. Davis performed in Rent
Rent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 2003. In 2011 Davis became a Top 8 semi-finalist and came in Second place on Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
's team on the first season of The Voice
The Voice (U.S. TV series)
The Voice is an American reality talent show that premiered on April 26, 2011 on the NBC television network. Based on the reality singing competition The Voice of Holland, the series was created by Dutch television producer John de Mol. It is part of an international series...
.
American Idol
Davis was a semi-finalist on the second seasonAmerican Idol (Season 2)
The second season of American Idol premiered on January 21, 2003 and continued until May 21, 2003. The title of show was shortened from American Idol: The Search for a Superstar of Season 1 to just American Idol. Brian Dunkleman quit after the first season, and Seacrest therefore became the lone...
of American Idol but was disqualified due to topless photos taken earlier in her career.
According to Davis, she was up-front about her pictures:
- "When I first discovered that I had made it to Hollywood and found out I would be competing to get into the top 30 and then later in the top 12, they had given us all this paperwork to fill out, background checks and that whole thing. So when we were doing that I had a discussion with some members of the production staff and I exposed to them a piece of my past; that when I was 19 years old, I took some pictures and that’s not the person I am [anymore]. I wanted to be up-front about it. We talked about it and then nothing happened".
The Idol staff took no action then, but two months later, they decided that Davis's participation would be inappropriate. "They had decided that because American Idol was a family show, that they could not have me on the show because of the pictures I had taken – though they had never seen the pictures," she told EuroWeb. She also added that no one was able to find the pictures in question as the website that featured them had been taken down.
American Idol topless photo controversy
After revealing pictures of season sixAmerican Idol (Season 6)
The sixth season of American Idol premiered on the Fox Broadcasting Company as a two-night, four-hour premiere special on January 16 and January 17, and ran until May 23, 2007. Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returned to judge once again, and Ryan Seacrest returned as host...
American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
contender Antonella Barba
Antonella Barba
Antonella Maria Barba is an American singer who placed in the top 16 on the sixth season of American Idol. She was eliminated before the top 12 were chosen.-Biography:...
surfaced on the internet, many drew parallels to a similar situation involving season two
American Idol (Season 2)
The second season of American Idol premiered on January 21, 2003 and continued until May 21, 2003. The title of show was shortened from American Idol: The Search for a Superstar of Season 1 to just American Idol. Brian Dunkleman quit after the first season, and Seacrest therefore became the lone...
contender Davis. In an interview conducted for The New York Post on Monday, March 5, 2007, Davis said,
- "I couldn't help but notice the difference between the manner in which she was dealt with and how I was dealt with.... I think it's fantastic if Idol has evolved, and I think it's fantastic she won't have to go through what I went through four years ago … but if the rules have changed, I believe there should be something to make up for the fact that I was humiliated needlessly."
Project Islamic H.O.P.E. activist Najee Ali has accused the show of racism: "It's obvious that it's a racial bias... when you have a situation where a black contestant is punished and a similar situation happens to a white contestant and there is no punishment and they're allowed to continue on the show". According to EuroWeb, Ali staged a protest in front of The Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, March 6, 2007. Protesters are seeking another chance for Davis at the competition. Former talk show co-host Rosie O’Donnell has commented on the Idol scandal; on The View, Tuesday, March 6, 2007, co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck
Elisabeth Hasselbeck
Elisabeth Hasselbeck is an American television talk show host and television personality. She was a contestant on Survivor: The Australian Outback and is a current co-host on the daytime talk show The View .-Early life:...
used the justification that Davis was paid for her pictures whereas Barba was not. Rosie's response: "I think it's racist. I do... I think it's because she's black".
Musical theatre career
After American Idol, Davis appeared in the Broadway musical RentRent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
in 2003. She sang the solo in the opening song of Act Two, Seasons of Love
Seasons of Love
"Seasons of Love" is a song from the Broadway musical Rent, written and composed by Jonathan Larson. The song starts with an ostinato piano motif, which provides the harmonic framework for the cast to sing "Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes"...
, and in ensemble roles such as Mrs. Jefferson (Joanne's mom), a woman with bags, a coat vendor, Mrs. Marquez (Mimi's mom) and others. She also occasionally played the part of Joanne. On June 1, 2005, Davis returned to her previous role in the Broadway production of Rent. Davis had previously announced that she would leave Rent in May 2007, but announced her final performance following a mid-April 2007 show. During the weeks leading up to the April 29 performance of Rents 10-year reunion, Davis appeared in an iTunes Podcast (Rent: The PodCast). She also joined the original cast for a special encore performance.
In 2004, Davis was cast in the role of Effie in a West Coast-touring production of Dreamgirls
Dreamgirls
Dreamgirls is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. Based upon the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, the musical follows the story of a young female singing trio...
, which appeared in Sacramento, San Jose, and Seattle, and later went to Pittsburgh.
From August 3–19, 2007, Davis starred alongside Miche Braden and JMichael in the role of Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson – January 27, 1972) was an African-American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel"...
in the Hartford Stage
Hartford Stage
Hartford Stage, located in Hartford, Connecticut, is one of the leading resident theatres in the United States, known internationally for entertaining and enlightening audiences with a wide range of the best of world drama, from classics to provocative new plays and musicals and neglected works...
production of Mahalia: A Gospel Musical, written by Tom Stolz and directed by Jeremy B. Cohen.
In 2008, Davis, along with fellow second-season American Idol participants Ruben Studdard
Ruben Studdard
Christopher Theodore Ruben Studdard , best known as Ruben Studdard, is an American R&B, pop, and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol...
and Trenyce Cobbins
Trenyce
Lashundra Trenyce Cobbins , known professionally as Trenyce, is an American singer and was a finalist for the second season of American Idol in 2003, finishing in fifth place.- Biography:...
, starred in the 30th-anniversary national tour of the musical revue Ain't Misbehavin'; the tour ran until May 2009.
In the fall of 2010, Frenchie was cast in the role of the Fairy Godmother in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
(Enchanted) at Berkeley Playhouse, the resident theatre company at the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts in Berkeley, CA (www.berkeleyplayhouse.org).
Singles
Frenchie is the featured artist in the Tony MoranTony Moran
Anthony "Tony" Moran is a remixer/producer and DJ known for remixing popular songs. In 2007, he hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart with "Walk Away" featuring Kristine W.-Career:...
single "You Are" that was released December 1, 2009 and peaked at number 5 on the Billboard hot clubplay chart. "You Are" was the debut single from Tony Moran
Tony Moran
Anthony "Tony" Moran is a remixer/producer and DJ known for remixing popular songs. In 2007, he hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart with "Walk Away" featuring Kristine W.-Career:...
's album titled "Mix Magic Music".
The Voice
Frenchie, auditioned for the 2011 reality competition series The VoiceThe Voice (U.S. TV series)
The Voice is an American reality talent show that premiered on April 26, 2011 on the NBC television network. Based on the reality singing competition The Voice of Holland, the series was created by Dutch television producer John de Mol. It is part of an international series...
, featuring celebrity judges/coaches Adam Levine
Adam Levine
Adam Noah Levine is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the front man and guitarist for the pop rock band Maroon 5. He is also a coach on the American talent show The Voice.-Early life:...
, Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
and Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
. In the first episode, she performed "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
, advancing to the next round as a member of Aguilera's team of 8.
On the May 10th episode of The Voice, Frenchie competed in a sing off against Tarralyn Ramsey, both singing "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
" by Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
. Frenchie won and made it to the next round.
On the June 7th episode of The Voice, Frenchie performed "When Love Takes Over
When Love Takes Over
"When Love Takes Over" is a song by French disc jockey -music producer David Guetta from his fourth studio album, One Love. It was released as the lead single from the album on 21 April 2009 by Virgin Records...
" by David Guetta
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
and Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
. She was told, "You may very well have the strongest voice in this whole competition."
In the next week, it was announced that Frenchie did not win the fan vote from last week's performance, which would have allowed her to move on in the competition. However, her coach Christina Aguilera used her own vote to move Frenchie onto The Voices Elite 8.
On the June 21st episode of The Voice, featuring the Showdown of the Elite 8, Davis performed "Like A Prayer
Like a Prayer
Like a Prayer is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on March 21, 1989 by Sire Records, three years after her previous studio album. Madonna worked with Stephen Bray, Patrick Leonard, and fellow icon Prince on the album while co-writing and co-producing all the...
" by Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
.
Frenchie Davis was eliminated during the semi-finals, finishing fifth overall. She will, however, still be joining the other members of the final eight contestants of the show: Javier Colon, Dia Frampton, Vicci Martinez
Vicci Martinez
Vicci Martinez, Born on September 21, 1984 is an American singer/songwriter from Tacoma, Washington, who is now signed with Universal Group . She came in joint third on NBC's singing competition series The Voice in 2011. She came in first place on Team Cee Lo Green and represented him in the final...
, Beverly McClellan
Beverly McClellan
Beverly McClellan is an American singer and contestant in the first season of the American The Voice reaching the final 4. She was coached by Christina Aguilera and part of her team. She finished in 3rd/4th place in the competition...
, Casey Weston
Casey Weston
Casey Weston is a singer-songwriter born December 4, 1992 in Naples, Florida. She was one of the top two finalists on Adam Levine's team on the first season of The Voice....
, Xenia
Xenia
-Things:* Xenia , the ancient Greek concept of hospitality* Xenia motif, the representation of a host's generosity to his guests* Xenia epigram, an epigram accompanying a present or gift* Xenia , a genus of coral...
and Nakia
Nakia
Nakia Reynoso , known professionally as Nakia, is an American musician, singer-songwriter and actor living in Austin, Texas. He is a native of Virginia Beach, Virginia.- Professional background :...
on a U.S. tour this summer.
External links
Retrieved on 2008-01-15 Retrieved on 2008-01-15- Article from the Smoking GunSmoking gunThe term "smoking gun" was originally, and is still primarily, a reference to an object or fact that serves as conclusive evidence of a crime or similar act. In addition to this, its meaning has evolved in uses completely unrelated to criminal activity: for example, scientific evidence that is...
- 2003 article from PlaybillPlaybillPlaybill is a monthly U.S. magazine for theatregoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most Playbills are printed for particular shows to be distributed at the door...
- Frenchie's Official Myspace
- Frenchie Davis page on official NBC The Voice website
- Frenchie Davis.org
- Frenchie's Performing Live in Philadelphia (video)