The first thing that we want to tell all Beyoncé fans is to notice the word “Hold” in the title.  We know that Beyoncé fans can be a little animated and get very vocal (which we like) with their opinions, but in no way do we think that at this current time that Beyoncé is going to lose her crown anytime soon.  However…

With Beyoncé recently announcing to the world her pregnancy and how she may very well likely take some time off to focus on family, she’s leaving the door open at the top for someone to possibly come in and take her position even though it may only be temporary.

We’re sure that there are several R & B vixens in the game right now licking their chops and priming themselves to be in position for when the day comes that Beyoncé walks away to take care of Jigga Jr. or Jigganette.

6.) Fantasia

The reason Fanny is this low on our list is that she herself is having a baby.  But unlike B, her image has taken a major hit within the past couple of years.  From her messing around with a married man to the point that she attempted suicide to the point that she now is having a baby with this man, it’s easy to see how Fantasia’s rep needs some serious help.

She went from being the young single mother underdog that everyone rooted for on American Idol to America’s most hated mistress over night.  It even got so ridiculous that the dude’s wife even sued her for breaking up a not so happy home.

But still Fantasia kept doing her thing.  She still performed.  She even had a successful reality tv series, and she continued to be an advocate on the importance of education to the youth.

The bottom line is this: Fantasia’s life story closely resembles our own.   If not ours, people that we know and can relate with.  And we always love happy endings.

Fantasia has gotten her first happy ending when she won American Idol and achieved stardom.  I guess the question now is “whether or not she’s due for another one”.  And her becoming the top woman in the game would definitely be another happy ending that I wouldn’t bet against.

5.) Bridget Kelly

The underdog.

Some of y’all may be wondering how did Bridget Kelly make the list when you never heard of her.  Well it’s simple, the girl is bad!  With a capital B…as in Beyonce.  Matter of fact she’s performed with B’s husband on several occassions as Alicia Keys’ stand-in for New York State of Mind.  She’s now signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation imprint.  So she’s definitely in good company.

The reason that she’s on this list is that there’s someone out there lurking around that we never or rarely heard of, that could be the next big thing just as Beyonce has become.  And based on BK’s resume and credentials, she’s making all of the right moves to achieve the stardom that every artist desires.

We’re not saying that she’s the one, but we’re giving her a chance.

She’s working with producers such as Frank Ocean, The-Dream, Ne-Yo, James Fauntleroy II, and Shea Taylor for an upcoming album that should hopefully drop sometime in 2012.

4.) Keri Hilson

Long before she’s stepped out with her solo career, she’s penned songs for Britney Spears, Toni Braxton, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Ciara, Usher, Teairra Mari, Danity Kane, the Pussycat Dolls, Avant, Ruben Studdard, B5, Diddy, Chingy, LeToya, Ludacris, Rich Boy, Jennifer Lopez, Shawn Desman, Kelly Rowland, Nicole Scherzinger, Lloyd Banks, Keke Palmer, Omarion, Tiffany Evans, and Timbaland.

A pretty extensive list if we ever seen one.  The girl is obviously talented.  Unfortunately for her, all of her songwriting success have yet to translate over into making her into a star.  The reason why Keri’s on this list is because of the “Turning Me On (Remix)” song.

With lyrics such as:

I ain’t tryin to start some mess
There’s just somethin on my chest
That I need to get off,
Cause you turnin me off
Your vision cloudy if you think that you’re the best
You can dance she can sing but she
need to move it to the… (don’t do it em)
She need to go have some babies
She needs to sit down, she fake
Them other chicks ain’t even
worth my time to talk about…

We want to see her capitalize on this moment that she’s been waiting for since 2009.  Keri, being the fortune teller that she was saw way back then that Beyonce was about to have some “babies” and that she’s “moving to the left”.

Now it’s debatable as if to whether she was taking jabs at Beyonce, but for all intents and purposes of this article, our interpretation is that she is.

But even still, as we’ve said earlier Keri has the talent and the songwriting abilities to make a strong move towards the top while B is away.  And with moves like the one below, maybe she’ll get there.

3.) Jennifer Hudson

Since she actually stole the show from Beyonce in Dream Girls, she DOES have the opportunity to steal the crown. People like her and she’s talented.

Like Fantasia, who’s also on this list, she went from American Idol to successfully creating her own image apart from the show.  But for some strange reason, even though she’s extremely popular, her popularity has yet to transform her into a superstar when she’s on the mic.

When you combine all of her endeavors such as acting, modeling, Jenny Craig spokeswoman, etc., she is without a doubt a superstar but her music career seems to be lacking.  Beyonce’s going away to focus on family could be extremely beneficial to J-Hud.

2.) Kelly Rowland

Kelly is another enigma in the music industry.  Everyone knows her name and she’s a superstar…but only when referring to her days as being a member of the girls group Destiny Child, with her cousin Beyonce at the helm of that group.

The reason why Kelly is on this list is because with Beyonce gone,  maybe she can get that shine that Beyonce has always taken from her.  She’s been trying desperately for years to get her solo career going and every year by all accounts, her efforts failed.  No one was really checking for her like maybe they should.

This year seems a little different. With hit releases such as Motivation and Lay it On Me, and also her performance on the BET awards (watch below), Kelly’s been getting more play than ever before.  Her popularity is at an all time high.  Maybe her cousin stepping down for a little while could be the extra umph that her career needs to finally get to where she wants it to be.

1.) Rhianna

I’ve always said that out of all artists being groomed to try and take over the game when B finally steps down that it would be Rhianna.

Rhianna has all of the tools to be that girl on top.  She has the looks, the style, and she puts out hit after hit.  More importantly, she has a strong team backing her, which coincidentally includes Beyonce’s husband Jay-Z.  (Do you see a pattern here?)  She also keeps the tabloids talking about her, something that she and Beyonce has in common.  Out of all the women that’s on this list, Rhianna easily surpasses all of them perhaps even combined in terms of publicity gained from the tabloids.

From the unfounded rumors that she actually had an affair with Jay-Z to her Chris Brown relationship fiasco to now an alleged sex tape involving rapper J. Cole, she just brushes it all off and keeps on moving.  Which is another trait that all greats need to have, the ability to not let these type of things affect them.

And as in Fantasia’s case, everyone likes a good story, no matter how twisted it may be.  Chris Brown is arguably at the top of the Male R & B world.  There’s a lot of people rooting for Rhianna to do the same and in a weird twist of fate be along side him again.