Fantasia Barrino

By Ra'eesah Manack

Nov 07, 2018

03:29 P.M.

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Content

Who is Fantasia Barrino?
Early life
Career
Personal life
Movies/Series
Albums
Awards
Trivia

Who is Fantasia Barrino?

Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor is better known by her stage name, Fantasia. She is an R&B singer, songwriter, and actress who found fame after winning the third season of "American Idol" in 2004.

Early life:

Fantasia Barrino is the daughter of Diane and Joseph Barrino. She was raised in High Point, North Carolina and began singing at the age of five.

Fantasia attended Andrews High School in High Point, North Carolina, but after she was raped by a classmate, she decided to leave high school. Fantasia and her ex-boyfriend have a daughter together. She was only 16 when she gave birth to her daughter.

Career:

Fantasia's career took off in 2004 when she won the third season of "American Idol." When she won, she became the youngest contestant to win the title, since she was only 19 at the time.

The following year in 2005 saw Fantasia release her first album, Truth Is. The single, “I Believe,” from the album was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 that year. That same year, she also made her acting debut when she played herself in a film based on her autobiography, called "Life Is Not a Fairy Tale." She also appeared as Clarissa Wellington in "The Simpsons."

Fantasia's debut album earned her the Vibe Music Award for R&B Voice of the Year in 2005, and three Grammy Award nominations in 2006. She also received two Grammy nominations for her sophomore release, Fantasia.

In 2011, she won her first Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for her song, "Bittersweet." She has since won several awards, including Billboard Music Awards for Top Selling Single of the Year, NAACP Image Award, ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Awards, NAACP Image Award, and BET Awards.

Personal life:

Fantasia has had a few past relationships. She dated Brandel Shouse, the father of her daughter, Zion Quari Barrino, from 1998 to 2003 while she was in her teens.

Then in 2004, she began dating American football star, Michael Clayton, but they broke up a year later in 2005. She was also involved with the rapper Young Dro from 2007 to 2008.

Then in 2009, Fantasia began dating Antwaun Cook. They were together for three years before breaking up in 2012. Fantasia had a second child named Dallas Xavier Barrino in 2011, but refused to reveal the name of the father of the child.

In 2013, Fantasia started dating American businessman, Kendall Taylor. A year later in September 2004, they got engaged. Eight months after the engagement, the couple tied the knot on July 19, 2015.

Movies/Series:

2001 to 2017 Live! with Kelly (TV Series)
2004 to 2016 American Idol (TV Series)
2016 Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story (TV Movie)

Albums:

Awards:

2004

Billboard Music Awards - Top Selling Single of the Year ("I Believe") [Won]
Top Selling R&B/Hip-Hop - Single of the Year ("I Believe") [Won]

2005

NAACP Image Award - Outstanding Female Artist [Won]
Billboard American Urban Radio Networks - Top R&B/Hip-Hop Single ("I Believe") [Won]
Emmis Communications/Hot-97 "KISS-FM" Phenomenal Woman Award - Phenomenal Woman [Won]
Vibe Music Award - R&B Voice of the Year [Won]

2006

ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Awards - Most Performed Song ("Free Yourself") [Won]
Most Performed Song ("Truth is") [Won]

2007

Theatre World Award - Outstanding Broadway Debut Performance - "The Color Purple" [Honoree]
Broadway.com Award - Favorite (Female) Replacement - "The Color Purple" [Won]

2008

Greensboro sit-ins Organization - Founder's Appreciation Award [Won]

2009

NAACP Image Award - Outstanding Duo or Group (with Jennifer Hudson) [Won]

2010

Barbados Music Awards - International Award of Excellence [Won]

2011

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("Bittersweet") [Won]
NAACP Image Award - Outstanding Song ("Bittersweet") [Won]
NAACP Theater Award - Distinguished Honoree [Won]

2013

Grammy Producers Brunch - BOE Global Artist Award [Won]

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“I like to go to the ocean and see the miracles that God has created. It reminds me of His power. He can do anything, like pulling me up from where I came, taking me through what I have been through, and bringing me to this point -- the point where I prayed to be my whole life. " - Fantasia, in her book, Life is Not a Fairy Tale

Trivia:

3rd Season American Idol Winner of 2004
Her first single from her first album, Truth Is, released February 2005
Her cousins are R&B singers K-Ci (Cedric Hailey) and JoJo (Joel Hailey), who formed the singing group Jodeci along with the DeGrate brothers in 1990
Fantasia's Number One hit song, "I Believe," was co-written by another American Idol contestant, Tamyra Gray from Season 1, who also contributed background vocals to "I Believe"