http://www.mtv.com/news/a...521/clarkson_kelly.jhtml
1. Fantasia Barrino
There has never been a better singer and performer in "Idol" history than Barrino, whose takes on Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" and - most notably - "Summertime" from "Porgy and Bess" (which left her in *#%@+) have become the stuff of "AI" legend. Simon Cowell called her the greatest contestant not just in "American Idol" history, but in the entire international history of the show as well, and we're not gonna disagree with him. Add to that the controversy surrounding her near-elimination, her personal struggles (which were so compelling that it spawned a best-selling autobiography and a highly rated Lifetime movie), and her post-show success (gold and platinum records, plus the role of Celie in the Broadway version of "The Color Purple," which drew raves), there's no one who comes close to matching Barrino. She's the total package. And the greatest "Idol" contestant of all time.










