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More than two decades have passed since Fantasia Barrino captured the title of winner on American Idol Season 3 in 2004. She is set to return to the iconic show to perform during the Top 12 episode of Season 23.
The upcoming episode on Monday, April 28, will showcase the remaining contestants as they sing songs linked to “iconic Idol moments.” Barrino’s presence is especially fitting given her significant role in the show’s rich history. Read on for an update on her current endeavors.
What is Fantasia doing now?
Barrino remains active in the entertainment world, releasing several albums since her Idol victory. Her latest album, Sketchbook, debuted in 2019.
She previously starred in a Broadway production of The Color Purple and recently reprised her role in the film adaptation released in 2023. Following the film’s release, she has taken some time off from her entertainment career to pursue studies in business at Central State University.
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These changes follow a series of personal challenges, including a lawsuit from her father in 2006 concerning her memoir’s portrayal of him, as well as surviving an overdose in 2010. Reflecting on her journey, she shared with People in 2023, “I lost everything.”
Looking back on her early career, Barrino commented, “I didn’t know anything about contracts. I didn’t know how to manage my finances and trusted everyone who entered my life.”
Is Fantasia married?
Yes, she has been married to entrepreneur Kendall Taylor since 2015. The couple met at a rooftop bar in their home state of North Carolina. In a 2019 interview on The Breakfast Club, Barrino admitted she initially felt unprepared for a relationship due to her past experiences.
Despite her reservations, she had a mental checklist of attributes she desired in a partner, and Taylor met all her criteria. She revealed to People, “Every day, I would write on index cards what I wanted. Kendall matched everything on my list. He was not only a praying man but also intelligent and had a profound story to share. I saw the king in him, and he recognized the queen in me.”
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Remarkably, just three weeks after their first meeting, Barrino and Taylor wed quietly at a courthouse, later celebrating with a formal reception.
Does Fantasia have kids?
Yes, she is the proud mother of three children. Barrino shares her daughter, Zion, born in 2001, with Brandel Shouse, and her son, Dallas, born in 2011, with Antwaun Cook. Her daughter with Taylor, Keziah, was born in 2021, making Barrino a stepmother to Taylor’s son, Trey as well.
Having given birth to Zion at the age of 17, Barrino has been candid about the challenges she faced while trying to conceive Keziah. After a lengthy three-year journey, she discovered her pregnancy in 2020, admitting that she had stopped actively trying and “forgot about it.”
“I kid you not, I forgot about it,” she shared on The Tamron Hall Show about her pregnancy experience. “Then one night, I just felt like, ‘Something’s different.’”
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