Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor, known professionally as Fantasia Barrino or simply Fantasia, is an American singer and actor. She rose to prominence in 2004 for being a contestant on the reality competition American Idol and eventually became that season's winner. From there, her entertainment career started, first releasing the album Free Yourself, then later writing an auto-biography Life Is Not a Fairy Tale which was adapted into a television film which she starred as herself. Fantasia has also appeared on stage, starring in the Broadway adaptation of The Color Purple as Celie, and later reprising the role in the 2023 musical film adaptation.
Fantasia is first cousins with K-Ci & JoJo Hailey of Jodeci, and her uncles Nathaniel, Perry, and Julius Barrino were in a singing group The Barrino Brothers. Her brother Ricco Barrino is also a singer, even auditioning for American Idol in season 8. Fantasia has three children, two daughters and a son.
Not to be confused with the Disney animated film Fantasia.
Discography
- Free Yourself (2004)
- Fantasia (2006)
- Back to Me (2010)
- Side Effects of You (2013)
- The Definition of... (2016)
- Christmas After Midnight (2017)
- Sketchbook (2019)
Filmography
Film- The Color Purple (2023) - Celie
Television
- American Idol (2004) - Contestant/Winner, has made appearances/performances afterwards
- American Dreams (2004) - Aretha Franklin, 1 episode
- The Simpsons (2005) - Clarissa Wellington (voice), episode: "A Star Is Torn"
- All Of Us (2005) - Herself, 1 episode
- The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life Is Not a Fairy Tale (2006) - Herself, television film
- Fantasia for Real (2010) - Herself, reality series; 20 episodes
- RuPaul's Drag Race (2011) - Herself, celebrity guest judge
Theatre
- The Color Purple (2007-2008, 2009-2010) - Celie, Broadway and national tour
- Midnight (2013–2014) - Special guest star, Broadway
Bibliography
- Life Is Not a Fairy Tale (2005)
Tropes in Fantasia's music
- Break Up Song - "Free Yourself", "Lose to Win", and "Without Me" are the break-up songs that were singles from her albums.
- Let's Duet - "Without Me", a duet with Kelly Rowland.
- New Sound Album - Slighty, Side Effects of You was a "rock-soul" album; Rock as in Rock & Roll in this context.
- The One That Got Away - "Truth Is" is about a woman reconnecting with her ex and realizing that she's still in love with him, but he's with someone else.
- Teenage Pregnancy - Fantasia herself was a teen mother, and the song "Baby Mama" on her first album was in tribute to all the young, single mothers.
