Fantasia Barrino is one of the most famous American Idol contestants. Her distinctive voice blew the judges away when she auditioned in Season 3. Not long after, she got the attention of the whole world when she became the third American Idol winner after singing “I Believe.” Sadly, though, Barrino had her own struggles after winning the American singing competition series saying she “didn’t know anything about checking your money.”
The American R&B singer had a tough upbringing before auditioning for American Idol. According to O Magazine, when Fantasia Barrino tried out for the popular TV series, she was a 19-year-old single mother surviving on food stamps in the projects of North Carolina. In fact, judge Paula Abdul sweetly helped the young contestant audition by convincing everyone to let her in the room before the day was out. When the “Truth Is” singer won Idol, her life changed as she established herself as a professional singer. However, she told People about the harsh realities of being a professional singer which took her by surprise after her win:
It wasn’t easy. I lost a lot. I lost everything. … You have to become a businesswoman and you link up with great business partners, but it doesn’t have a lot to do with love. It took me a long time to figure that out.
This is in reference to the Grammy winner being sued by her father in 2006. He wasn’t happy with his portrayal in her memoir Life is Not a Fairy Tale. Barrino also had long-standing problems keeping her North Carolina mansion, and she was hospitalized in 2010 after overdosing on aspirin and a sleeping aid. It proves that fame is not easy to deal with and that becoming an American Idol doesn’t stop hurdles that life will throw at you.
Another revelation that came with being an American Idol was that Fantasia Barrino didn’t understand the legal and financial proceedings that came with being a celebrity. She continued to explain that being a small fish in a big Hollywood pond came with a lot of preparation no one warned her about:
I didn’t know anything about contracts. I didn’t know anything about checking your money and making sure every day your stuff was where it was supposed to be. I just trusted and believed everybody that came into my life.
Understandably, Fantasia Barrino had no idea what to expect being an American Idol winner. When young hopefuls audition, they understand the prize of making history on the then-Fox-owned series and getting a record deal as a result. But once you win, young talents are thrust into the adult world having to deal with financial and legal proceedings beyond anything they likely prepared for.
Just like Fantasia Barrino transformed her life for the better by making it on one of the toughest competition shows out there, she fought life hard and came out on top after the series. Fantasia has had some big moments in her career so far, including her debut single “I Believe” earning its number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2007, Barrino portrayed Celie Johnson in the Broadway production of The Color Purple and reprised the role by being part of the cast of the musical-adapted remake film. To top it all off, the “Bittersweet” singer even snagged a Golden Globe nomination for her film debut! Who knows, maybe she’ll even snag an Oscar nomination for the role, just like her fellow American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson did for Dreamgirls.
Despite all of the obstacles that Barrino went through, the 39-year-old star said she doesn’t regret any of it.
I’m grateful for it. … If I did not go through that, I wouldn’t be the woman that I am today.
Even though Fantasia Barrino didn’t live the life of a fairy tale after American Idol, she still had a Cinderella story. She ultimately became a warrior following a dream so many people struggle to achieve selling out albums and earning awards for all of her hard work. Be sure to watch Barrino reprise her iconic role in the 2023 movie release The Color Purple in theaters now. Also, be sure to check out Season 22 of American Idol, which will premiere on the 2024 TV schedule on ABC on February 18.