Fantasia Barrino's Journey Beyond American Idol: Triumph Amidst Trials (Exclusive)

Fantasia Barrino candidly shares the challenges she faced after claiming victory in American Idol Season 3 in 2004.

 

In the aftermath of her win, the now 39-year-old singer grappled with financial hardships, exacerbated by a legal dispute with her father in 2006 over his portrayal in her memoir, "Life Is Not a Fairy Tale." Additionally, Barrino survived an overdose on aspirin and a sleep aid in 2010, revealing, "It wasn't easy. I lost a lot. I lost everything," in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE.

 

Reflecting on those tumultuous years, the Grammy winner acknowledges that her early struggles were rooted in her naivety about navigating the complexities of the music industry, Hollywood, and fame. Now starring in The Color Purple, Barrino reveals, "You have to become a businesswoman and 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."

 

"I didn't know anything about contracts," confesses the mother of three. "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."

 

Barrino, who was just 19 when she won American Idol, describes herself at that time as "just a little girl from High Point, North Carolina that liked to sing." She lacked knowledge about the industry's intricacies, admitting, "I didn't know anything about, 'Maybe you should look this way, dress this way, talk this way, smile for the cameras a certain way.'"

 

Despite singing for others, Barrino acknowledges she was also singing her way through personal struggles.

 

Nevertheless, she sees those low points as "necessary" and expresses gratitude for the transformative experience. "If I did not go through that, I wouldn't be the woman that I am today," says the "I Believe" singer, recently nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Celie in The Color Purple.

 

The latest adaptation of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Color Purple, earned Barrino rave reviews for her portrayal of Celie, alongside Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo, and Golden Globe nominee Danielle Brooks. Drawing parallels between her character and herself, Barrino remarks, "Celie and I have a lot in common when it comes to family situations, losing things, and feeling ugly and unseen."

 

"This feels like God's promises; they're finally coming to power," she adds. "I'm a fan of the Book of Job in the Bible. Job lost everything. And so did I."

 

Despite the trials, Barrino's resilience shines through, with her performance in The Color Purple receiving acclaim beyond expectations. For more on Fantasia Barrino's remarkable journey, grab this week's issue of TheBreakingPoint , available now.