Fantasia gets life and music back on track

Tribune News Service

In the dozen years since Fantasia Barrino claimed victory on “American Idol,” the singer has more than proved her mettle. She has sold millions of records, released a New York Times bestselling memoir, won a Grammy, anchored a hit reality series and become a Broadway star.

And that success didn’t come easily. Money woes, behind-the-scenes drama, label tension and a relationship entangled in sordid accusations of homewrecking and sex tapes excited the tabloids and gossip blogs.

Amid a battle with depression and intense public scrutiny, she tried to take her own life by downing sleeping pills and aspirin in 2010.

Barrino survived, got her personal and professional life back on track and released a celebrated comeback record, 2013’s “Side Effects of You,” which saw her writing more of her own material and exploring a mix of genres she dubbed “rock soul.”

“I’m at that place in my life now that if I can’t do what my heart is telling me to do, then I won’t do it anymore,” the 32-year-old singer said during breakfast at a Beverly Hills hotel.

With her new album SEmD released late last month via RCA Records and which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B chart SEmD the singer wanted to show she was in control. And after “12 long years and a lot of ups and downs,” she was.

“What (labels) have done is they have watered down the artist,” she said. “Everybody has an opinion. This person thinks you should dress like this. This person thinks this is what your music should be like because this is what’s selling right now. What you’re doing is prostituting the artist’s gift, and I couldn’t have that anymore.”

After coming off her role in the jazzy, Cotton Club-era inspired Broadway revue “After Midnight” in 2014, Barrino headed to the studio to work on the new album. Wanting a fresh start Barrino signed with new management, Primary Wave in December.

Her new album incorporates jazz, country, gospel, pop and, most important to her, live instrumentation.

“It’s the very thing I used to run from SEmD and that’s me,” she said.

“It’s hard for women (especially) in the industry. If you look at some of the greats, they either couldn’t keep a good relationship or they were in an abusive one. It was almost like the man was trying to tear that spark out of them. I went through a lot of that. I’ve been spit on. I’ve had a black eye. I’ve dumbed myself down to try to make a relationship work.”

Barrino credits this newfound career confidence with the work she did rebuilding her life. During “After Midnight,” she said, she decided to make a commitment to herself. “I married myself. I know that sounds corny,” she laughed.

“For seven months, I fasted (from sex). I didn’t date. I didn’t drink. I didn’t go out; if I did, it was just jazz shows. I wanted to cleanse myself and let go of all of those bad relationships that I was still carrying. At night, I prayed to be sent someone who could help build me because I was broken.”

Soon after she met businessman Kendall Taylor. The two bonded over their faith and family, and after a brief (and celibate) courtship, the couple wed last summer.

With her personal and professional life in a much better place, “everything about Fantasia is a totally different woman,” she said, and she couldn’t be happier.

“I feel like I’m just getting started. I’ve been doing it for 12 years, but I haven’t been doing it the way I wanted to,” Barrino said. “I’ve got a long way to go. And I’m not going to allow the industry or people to take me out.”