Fantasia Barrino opened up about the turbulent years she went through after winning the third season of American Idol during a new interview with People.
Although the 39-year-old singer took home the grand prize after coming out on top of her other competitors in 2004, she subsequently underwent severe financial troubles.
The performer, who recently claimed that she was the victim of racial profiling, was also sued by her father over how he was depicted in her 2006 memoir, Life Is Not a Fairy Tale.
Barrino’s troubles continued, and in 2010 she overdosed on a sleep aid and aspirin. She was hospitalized and survived the ordeal.
The hitmaker began her interview by stating that her post-American Idol life ‘wasn’t easy. I lost a lot. I lost everything.’
Fantasia Barrino opened up about the turbulent years she went through after winning the third season of American Idol during a new interview with People; seen earlier this month
The performer went on to attribute her issues to being ‘very, very green’ with regard to the entertainment industry.
Barrino went on to speak about what she wished she would have known during her early days as a professional singer.
‘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.
The hitmaker also stated that she was largely unsure about how to manage her legal and financial matters when she started out in Hollywood.
‘I didn’t know anything about contracts. I didn’t know anything about checking your money and making sure every day your stuff was where it was supposed to be,’ she said.
Barrino added that she ‘just trusted and believed everybody that came into my life.’
However, the singer admitted that she was ‘grateful’ for the experiences she went through, and expressed that she ‘wouldn’t be the woman that I am today,’ without them.
The singer concluded by stating: ‘I’m a fan of the Book of Job in the Bible. Job lost everything. And so did I.’
Although the 39-year-old singer took home the grand prize after coming out on top of her other competitors in 2004, she subsequently underwent severe financial troubles; seen in 2004
The performer went on to attribute her issues to being ‘very, very green’ with regard to the entertainment industry; seen earlier this month
The singer admitted that she was ‘grateful’ for the experiences she went through, and expressed that she ‘wouldn’t be the woman that I am today’ without them; seen earlier this month
Barrino was recently featured as Celie Harris-Johnson in the newly-released musical drama film The Color Purple; seen earlier this month
Barrino was recently featured as Celie Harris-Johnson in the newly-released musical drama film The Color Purple.
The songwriter was featured alongside performers such as Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo and Corey Hawkins in the feature, which was based on Alice Walker’s 1982 novel of the same name.
The film has received widespread critical acclaim, and it currently holds a rating of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The feature has also grossed just over $25 million from audiences, according to Box Office Mojo.
