Name	Fantasia Barrino
Height	5' 7"
Naionality	American
Date of Birth	30 June 1984
Place of Birth	High Point, North Carolina, USA
Famous for

Barrino was born and raised in High Point, North Carolina, to Diane and Joseph Barrino. In her autobiography, Life Is Not A Fairytale, Barrino explains that a family rumor suggests her father's family was of Afro Cuban descent, explaining the surname Barrino (during slavery ninty percent of the slaves were sent to the Caribbean and Latin America. The Spanish slave masters gave their black slaves their Spanish surnames.).The Barrino Family travelled and performed in the Carolinas and elsewhere in the American South and recorded the CD Miracles for a local label. Fantasia's singing style was shaped by the example of gospel singers like Shirley Caesar and The Clark Sisters. R&B legends such as Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan also left a strong impact on young Fantasia.

She attended T. Wingate Andrews High School in High Point, North Carolina. After she was raped by a classmate, she was left feeling harassed and embarrassed and dropped out of high school. In a later relationship, she became pregnant and, at age 17, on August 8, 2001, Fantasia gave birth to her daughter, Zion Quari. She broke up with her ex-boyfriend prior to going to American Idol because he used to physically abuse her.