She won ‘American Idol’ in 2004 — now Fantasia Barrino is back on the same stage and fans are in tears
Fantasia Barrino has finally made her comeback on 'American Idol'! During the most recent episode of 'American Idol' Season 23, which aired on April 28, Barrino stunned the esteemed judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Carrie Underwood by performing a soothing version of the song 'Have Your Way.' Following her performance, Fantasia received a standing ovation from the judges. After that, Ryan Seacrest, the host of the ABC singing competition, came on the stage and enthused, "That was unbelievable. I can feel your emotion right now. What are you feeling?" In her response, Barrino said, "The world is going through a lot right now, and we need more God. So I allowed him to use me on the biggest stage ever."
As per Reach FM, Seacrest couldn't stop gushing over Barrino's performance and quipped, "That was mind-blowingly beautiful. Thank you, Fantasia. That song's out today." Soon after, Seacrest revealed that Fantasia is all set to release a new gospel album soon. Speaking of her upcoming album, Fantasia said, "I'm always gospel, but like I said, the world is going through a lot, so it's time for me to use the gift he gave me and give it back to him."
When 'American Idol' uploaded the clip of Fantasia's performance on YouTube, the fans flooded the comments section with messages. One social media user penned, "Fantasia’s voice is undisputed; what an incredible and transformative talent! Also, I love how she coached everyone with love, care, and precision!" Followed by a second user who penned, "I swear this season has become Sunday Best. I’m living for it. I don’t know what the change was, but I welcome it." Another netizen chimed in, "Sir, the emotion she was feeling was the Holy Spirit moving through her. Thank you, Fantasia! This was amazing." A user commented, "The anointing was flowing through her. That lip quivering was power. So glad she's come full circle. The amount of souls she'll reach, God bless you, Tasia!"
For those unaware, let us share with you that Barrino won 'American Idol' Season 3 way back in 2004. When Barrino was announced as the winner of the singing show, she broke down in tears. “Thank you so much—I broke my shoe. You know what? I’ve been through some things, but I’ve worked hard to get where I’m at. Thank you all so much, man," a teary-eyed Barrino said at that time, according to People magazine.
Since then, Barrino has released six albums. Along with this, Barrino has also starred in the big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical 'The Color Purple.' Barrino's brilliant portrayal of Celie in the Broadway production earned her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture as well as Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. In 2023, Barrino reprised her role in the show's film adaptation. Following that, she took a small break from her music career to study business at Central State University. At the moment, the fans are eagerly waiting for her forthcoming album. On the other hand, when we talk about Barrino's personal life, she has been happily married to businessman Kendall Taylor since 2015, and the pair shares a daughter, Zion.