Fantasia Biography
Fantasia American R&B singer, composer, and actor Monique Barrino. At the age of 19, she became well-known after taking home the “American Idol” crown. At the age of 17, she dropped out of high school and gave birth to her first kid. She excelled at music, and winning the American Idol competition laid the stage for her professional life. She received a deal with “J Records” after winning, and the following year, “I Believe,” her debut single, was released. It made history by being the first debut single to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number one.
Her first studio album, “Free Yourself,” was certified “platinum” and debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 chart. Fantasia and her father had a strained relationship and she had attempted suicide before. She was inconsistent in her relationships and had several affairs, which resulted in an abortion. In 2011, she gave birth to her second child. She eventually transitioned into a steady lifestyle after being married to businessman Kendall Taylor. ‘Life Is Not a Fairy Tale,’ her autobiography, became a best-seller. She is today a well-known individual in her own right, and she and her husband are content.
Fantasia Childhood & Early Life
Diane and Joseph Barrino welcomed Fantasia into the world on June 30, 1984 in High Point, North Carolina, USA. She came from a household that valued music. In the 1970s, ‘The Barrino Brothers,’ an R&B band, included her uncles. She began singing at the age of five, influenced by her inherited aptitude. Ricco Barrino, her brother, competed on “American Idol,” however he did not advance to the finals.
She went to High Point’s “Andrews High School.” She was sexually assaulted by a classmate there. When she became pregnant with her first kid at the age of 16, she was dating Brandel Shouse. On August 8, 2001, she dropped out of high school and gave birth to her daughter, Zion Quari Barrino.
Fantasia Career
Fantasia rose to popularity after taking home the ‘American Idol’ crown in 2004. She made history by becoming the ‘American Idol’ contestant who was the youngest at the age of 19. One of the strongest performances on the night was her interpretation of “Summertime” from “Porgy and Bess.” Her career was boosted by her success, which also allowed her to take part in the “American Idol” US tour and the holiday special “Kelly, Ruben and Fantasia: Home For the Holidays.”
Her first single, “I Believe,” which she released after signing a deal with “J Records,” was released. This was the first debut single to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number one. The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) awarded “double platinum” certification to the single’s CD.
‘Free Yourself,’ her debut studio album, was released in November 2004. On the ‘Billboard 200’ chart, it debuted at number eight. The album received a “platinum” certification in the US, and one of its songs, “Truth Is,” peaked at number two on the chart for “Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs.” Her song “Baby Mama” caused controversy since it supported unmarried parenthood.
She guested on numerous TV shows in 2005 to promote her record. She also voiced Aretha Franklin in the “The Simpsons” episode “A Star is Torn” in the “American Dreams” series. She also gave a tribute performance at the NAACP Image Awards, when she was given the award for “Outstanding Female Artist” in recognition of then-Senator Barack Obama.
‘The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life is Not a Fairy Tale,’ her autobiographical film, had more than 19 million views on ‘Lifetime’ in 2006. It rose to become the second-most watched show on the channel ever.
‘Fantasia,’ her second album, was released in December 2006. It was “gold” certified. She played the lead role in the Broadway musical “The Color Purple,” which was adapted on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize–winning book of the same name. It improved her reputation as a singer and stage performer. She won a ‘Theatre World Award’ for her performance in the musical in 2007.
Her work in the musical earned her a “Theatre World Award” in 2007.
In 2008, Oprah Winfrey hired her for the movie adaptation of “The Color of Purple.” The following year, she and her mother both sang on a gospel record. ‘Back to Me,’ her third studio album, was released in August 2010. Her earlier “American Idol” and “Broadway” performances were combined in this.
She won the “Grammy” for “Best Female R&B Vocal Performer” in 2011 for her song “Bittersweet.” In the biopic based on the book “Got to Tell It: Mahalia Jackson, Queen of Gospel,” she played Mahalia Jackson. ‘VH1’ compiled a list of the “100 Greatest Women in Music” in February 2012, and she was listed at number 32.
In 2012, she made an appearance in a cover version of Cyndi Lauper’s song “True Colors.” Later that year, she co-wrote and recorded the smash single “In the Middle of the Night.” In November 2013, she went back to Broadway and appeared in the show “After Midnight.” Critics gave her favorable feedback for it.
In October 2014, she was inducted into the “North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.” The same year, she collaborated with Dave Koz on a Christmas record. Her 2016 album “The Definition of” debuted on the “Billboard 200 Chart” at position six. In October 2017, “Christmas after Midnight,” her most recent holiday album, was made available through Concord Records.
Fantasia Major Works
‘Free Yourself’ (2004), ‘Fantasia’ (2006), ‘Back to Me’ (2010), ‘Side Effects of You’ (2013), ‘The Definition of…’ (2016), and ‘Christmas After Midnight’ (2017) are some of the studio albums by Fantasia.
‘The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life is Not a Fairy Tale’ was released in 2006, and she starred in it as herself.
She performed in the ‘Broadway’ plays ‘The Color Purple’ (2007) and ‘After Midnight’ (2013–2014).
‘American Idol’ (2004), ‘American Dreams’ (2004), ‘The Simpsons’ (2005), ‘All of Us’ (2005), ‘An Evening of Stars’ (2007, 2009, and 2011), ‘Fantasia for Real’ (2010), ‘Black Girls Rock!’ (2010), ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ (2013), ‘Celebrities Undercover’ (2014), and ‘Joyful Noise’ (2016) are some of her notable TV projects.
‘Life Is Not a Fairy Tale,’ her autobiography, was published in 2005.
Fantasia Awards & Achievements
She and Jennifer Hudson shared the “NAACP Image Award” for “Outstanding Duo” in 2009.
In 2010 at the Barbados Music Awards, she took home the “International Award of Excellence.”
She received the “Grammy Award” for “Best Female R&B Vocal Performance” in 2011 for her song “Bittersweet.”
At the Grammy Producers Brunch in 2013, she was also presented with the “BOE Global Artist Award.”
Fantasia Personal Life
Fantasia’s connection with her father was strained and she had a difficult upbringing. She considered herself illiterate when it came to signing paperwork because she had not completed high school.
She had several affairs, which caused her to have an abortion. She also made an unsuccessful attempt at suicide. She devoted her life to music in order to eventually gain control of herself.
Dallas Xavier Barrino, her second child, was born on December 13, 2011. She started dating businessman Kendall Taylor in 2013, and they got married in July 2015. As a result, her living became more secure.
Fantasia Trivia
Due to a cyst on her vocal chords for which she needed surgery, Fantasia missed several performances of “The Color Purple.”
She created a new genre she named “rock soul” with her fourth album, “Side Effects of You.” In 2013, this gained enormous popularity.
Who is Fantasia?
Fantasia, whose birth name is Fantasia Monique Barrino, was born on June 30, 1984, in High Point, North Carolina in the United States of America. She is the daughter of Diane and Joseph Barrino.
She came from a household that valued music. In the 1970s, ‘The Barrino Brothers,’ an R&B band, included her uncles. She began singing at the age of five, influenced by her inherited aptitude. Ricco Barrino, her brother, competed on “American Idol,” however he did not advance to the finals.She went to High Point’s “Andrews High School.” She was sexually assaulted by a classmate there. When she became pregnant with her first kid at the age of 16, she was dating Brandel Shouse. On August 8, 2001, she dropped out of high school and gave birth to her daughter, Zion Quari Barrino.
What is Fantasia’s age, height, and weight?
She was born on June 30, 1984, and as of right now, she’s 38 years old and a Cancer. Fantasia is typically 5 feet 7 inches tall and 67 kilograms heavy.
What is Fantasia’s Nationality and Ethnicity?
Fantasia is of African-American descent and is a citizen of the United States.
What is Fantasia’s Net Worth?
Her net worth is thought to be $5 million.
What is Fantasia’s profession?
Barrino started her music career by joining her family band in high school, which caused her to fall behind in her coursework. She was also the target of bullying since other kids made fun of her appearance and body type. Later, she stopped attending school because of the humiliation she felt for taking part in a sexual assault.At the age of 17, Barrino gave birth to a child, but due to her lack of schooling, she struggled to find employment.
But she needed to make ends meet. She thus signed up for “American Idol” and gave it everything. She was the one who was most surprised when she won season 3 in 2004. But Barrino’s victory on “American Idol” gave her new opportunities. In 2004, she signed with 19 Entertainment, and her debut album, “Free Yourself,” was made available. She received three Grammy nominations for the album. The book “Life Is Not a Fairy Tale,” which went on to become an instant hit, contained her account that she had written and published a year earlier.
Barrino was chosen to play Celine in Oprah Winfrey’s musical “The Color Purple” in 2007. She impressed critics with her performance. Unfortunately, the freshly minted actress quickly lost favor, and between 2010 and 2014, she once more struggled to make ends meet.She did not, however, ever cease creating new music. By 2015, Barrino had established herself, taken care of her money problems, and begun a new life with Kendall Taylor.
Does Fantasia have children?
Dallas Xavier Barrino and Zion Quari Barrino, her two gorgeous kids, are hers.
Who is Fantasia married to?
Since 2015, Fantasia has been wed to her devoted spouse, Kendall Taylor.