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In the best of times, her life has seemed like a fairy tale.
In the worst of times, however, it’s been a nightmare.
Yes,Fantasia Barrino has had sad life story.
Even after her big break, Barrino hit some devastating lows.
That makes her one of the biggest inspirations to ever emerge from reality television.
Fantasia Barrino also grew up singing in church, where her mother and grandmother were ministers.
Her father wasn’t the only one to notice Barrino’s talent.
Barrino was just 9 years old.
Fantasia Barrino dropped out of high school
Fantasia Barrino’s childhood was not an easy one.
Then in high school, Barrino was raped by a fellow student.
The harassment soon grew to be too much to handle.
A boyfriend moved in with her, but didn’t treat her well.
Then at the age of 17, Barrino became pregnant.
“That’s when everybody seemed to give up on me,” she toldO, The Oprah Magazine.
As Barrino put it, “I’d lost myself.”
She barely got by with government assistance.
“Living like that was hard,” she said.
As a single mom, Barrino alsohelped her grandmother run a day care facility.
“I had given up on myself,” she admitted toO, The Oprah Magazine.
However, watchingRuben Studdard win"American Idol" inspired her to fight for her own dreams.
Instead of giving up, Barrino started praying.
The rest is history.
But the backlash just inspired Barrino to work even harder.
“I’m a strong woman now,” she toldMTV News.
“I fought so that my child can have the best.”
Barrino starred in the film as herself, impressing the world with her acting talents.
For Barrino, starring in the film was a challenge and not just because she was new to acting.
Filming the movie also required her to relive some of the most difficult moments of her life.
“It’s definitely harder than it looks,” she toldThe Washington Post.
Notably, she has a lot in common with the character of Celie, whoovercomes considerable adversityin the show.
“When I put my outfit on, I’m no longer Fantasia,” she said.
“I am Celie…
I am that woman when I’m on that stage and people are being touched.”
Years later, Barrino looked back at that dark time as the biggest regret of her life.
She added that she would do it all over again if she could.
“I would change that,” she confessed.
However, that wasn’t what had people so concerned about the relationship.
“I’m regular,” she said.
“I don’t like the whole celebrity thing.”
That’s a far cry from, say,Oprah’s incredibly lavish lifestyle!
“It’s all me,” she said.
The transition came after years of going head-to-head with record execs.
Barrino knew what she wanted and was confident enough to go get it.
“I don’t want people to stick me in a box,” she toldPeople.
“I don’t want to miss anything,” said Barrino.
“When you’re on tour, it’s too much.”
On the “Yes, Girl!”
She already hasa couple of stage rolesunder her belt.
She’s also spoken out about the fact that she’s not the only artist who has struggled financially.
“And we smile and come out and put on a good show.
But in real life some of them are struggling and we don’t have it.”
“He would call and check up on me,” she said.
“He was one of the ones, when I lost everything, he came and blessed me.
And I thank him for that.”
“And we were asked.
I was like, ‘No, so what?’
you might hear me crying, you hear me sniffling.
Shouldn’t it be that way?”
“This ain’t your mama’s ‘Color Purple,'” Winfrey toldVanity Fair.
“I’m glad that I didn’t allow that door to close,” Barrino admitted toET Online.
“We can feel our ancestors.
So, it’s heavy.
But it also reminds us that they paved the way for us.
Fantasia Barrino became an honorary sorority member
The year 2022 was a big one for Fantasia Barrino.
“We are so proud to welcome Soror @tasiasword into the sisterhood,” wrote the sorority onInstagram.
Barrino posted avideoon her own Instagram of her initiation into the sorority.
“I Love My Sisters,” she wrote in anotherpost.
Perthe sorority’s website, Sigma Gamma Rho, Sorority, Inc. was founded in 1922.
