Roommates, can you believe it’s almost been 20 years since Fantasia Barrino was crowned the season three winner of ‘American Idol’?
The ‘Bittersweet’ singer, who won the third series of the talent show in 2004, subsequently became one of the most recognized R&B singers of the ’00s.
Fantasia even had the fellas choking up when she dropped ‘When I See U,’ in 2007, which remains one of her best-selling singles to date.
Yet, despite the glittering fame and success she achieved with her music career, her life was not exempt from struggles after the show.
Fantasia Details The Struggle After ‘American Idol’
In a new interview with PEOPLE, Fantasia revealed the hardships she faced after winning ‘Idol’ and how her life quickly began to derail. Contrary to popular belief that she was living a dream life, Fantasia stated that she had “lost everything.”
The mom of two couldn’t have prepared herself for the mental burden she endured as she recalled her earliest career struggles stemming from her finances.
“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,” she said.
In her 2006 memoir, ‘Life Is Not A Fairy Tale,’ she revealed that she couldn’t read. Additionally, Fantasia admitted that she had signed record deals without reading the paperwork, which landed her in terrible financial situations.
She now tells PEOPLE that her lack of knowledge about the ins and outs of signing a contract messed up a significant portion of her income because she “trusted and believed everybody” who entered her life.
It’s easy to assume that Fantasia, selling millions of records and touring the world, wouldn’t have to worry about her bank account balance. But that couldn’t have been further from the case.
“I didn’t know anything about checking your money and making sure every day your stuff was where it was supposed to be,” she added.
Fantasia’s Father Sued Her For $10Million
In September 2006, just two years after she won the third series of ‘American Idol,’ Fantasia found herself in a legal battle with her father, Joseph Barrino. He sued her for $10 million over how she portrayed him in her memoir.
According to CBS News, he disputed some of her allegations, one being his hostility towards the music industry and another being the precedence of his children’s music careers over their education.
Joseph also denied another allegation — he regularly asked her for money when she visited him following her newfound fame.
She Contemplated Taking Her Life
The industry pressure, personal problems, balancing motherhood, and sustaining an income for her family all weighed so much on Fantasia that by August 2010, she reached her breaking point.
Initially, reports claimed she accidentally overdosed on aspirin and sleep aid. Fantasia later admitted that she felt like she had nothing left to give, which led to her decision to want to end her life, per PEOPLE.
The many low points she reached through her life were experiences that Fantasia says she had to endure to get to the other side.
“I’m grateful for it. … If I did not go through that, I wouldn’t be the woman that I am today,” she added.
