2017 Grammy nominations: The nominees, reactions and how Beyoncé and Chance the Rapper made history

Fantasia had to convince her label to release “Sleeping With the One I Love” as a single. 

“They didn’t want [it] to be the next single. ‘It’s too churchy,’ they said,” the 32-year-old singer recalled over the summer.

The song landed a nomination for traditional R&B performance. “I said, ‘No, it’s the next single. I’m the one out here on stages and connecting with the people.’” 

The singer took matters into her own hands, going to radio stations and bringing the smoldering, jazzy ballad that was written and produced by R. Kelly along with the breezy mid-tempo song the label preferred, “When I Met You.” She had listeners call in and vote. Her pick was the winner.

“You have to take control over your own destiny,” she continued. “You can’t put it in other people’s hands.”

After a year of creative differences stalled the album, the singer sought a fresh start by switching up her team and restarting the project with veteran label executive and producer Ron Fair.

“I feel like I’m just getting started. I’ve been doing it for 12 years, but I haven’t been doing it the way I wanted to,” she admitted. “I’ve got a long way to go. And I’m not going to allow the industry or people to take me out.”