Entertainment

As that crazy American Idol train keeps on chugging year after year, it becomes harder to keep track of everything that has happened. Who won that season? What was that girl's winning single? And remind me why I loved that person so?

Jim Wright / Montage

Taylor Hicks

And those questions are just about the winners. Lord help us if we had to pick, say, season two's Top 10 out of a lineup. But luckily for some, they emerge out of the Idol shadow and into their own bona fide careers. Fantasia Barrino (season three's victor), 22, and Taylor Hicks (season five), 30, are releasing new albums Tuesday. Here's a look at their career highs and lows thus far.

SINCE 'IDOL' FINALE

Fantasia
Released her first album, the Grammy-nominated Free Yourself. She also wrote a book titled Life Is Not a Fairy Tale, part of which dealt with her functional illiteracy. (Another part, dealing with her father, resulted in a lawsuit filed by Pops.) Fantasia also starred in a Lifetime movie, playing herself – a feat no other Idol has done or presumably ever will.

Taylor
Toured with his fellow Idols this summer while working on his debut album, Taylor Hicks, at the same time. Apparently, all of this stress is a good diet, as he's now quite the beanpole.

UH-OH MOMENT

Fantasia
Auditioned for the part of Effie in the much-anticipated Dreamgirls, but lost out to fellow season-three contestant Jennifer Hudson. Fantasia joked to Entertainment Weekly that she called Ms. Hudson and said, "Heifer, you took my part."

Taylor
In August, Justin Timberlake dissed him in a Vanity Fair supplement. "People think he looks so normal and he's so sweet and he's so earnest, but he can't carry a tune in a bucket," Mr. Sexyback said. Hey, he never said he was bringing politeback.

LIFE OFFSTAGE

Randall Slavin

Fantasia

Fantasia
The single mom of daughter Zion, 5, told EW that she has a new boyfriend. (Presumably not Jamie Foxx, whom she's kissed onstage during a performance).

Taylor
He's been linked to Chelsea Cooley, Miss USA 2006, but that could be just tabloid talk. He's definitely a romantic, though: He told People magazine that he recently swapped glances with a blonde on a flight. "It seemed like something out of a movie," he said. Aww ...

THEIR FANS

Fantasia
Her Myspace tally stands at 55,271 friends, as of early Monday.

Taylor
Look out, Claymates! The Soul Patrol rivals Mr. Aiken's army of devotees in their fervor. (Fantasia's fans have apparently opted against a cutesy group name.) Taylor's MySpace friends tally: 27,533.

TOURING THE TUBE

Fantasia
Jimmy Kimmel Tuesday night; The View Thursday; Tyra Banks Friday

Taylor
The Early Show Tuesday; Martha Wednesday; Dr. Phil's Christmas in Washington special Wednesday

TOURING THE COUNTRY

Fantasia
She's scheduled to perform on several stops of Jamie Foxx's upcoming tour, which begins Dec. 29. Expect much heat.

Taylor
His first national solo tour begins on Feb. 21, with 10 cities announced so far. Expect many "Soul Patrol" T-shirts.

SO, HOW EXACTLY DO THEY FEEL ABOUT 'IDOL'?

Fantasia
This year, she ended her relationship with the show's 19 Management and is now with Violator Management. No public disses of the show to speak of.

Taylor
He told Relix magazine that "American Idol, for me, is fizzling out." Later, he said it was taken out of context and that he loves his Idol family. Which is growing all the time.

E-mail darlajatlas@yahoo.com