It’s been two decades since Fantasia Barrino’s “American Idol” win.
The Grammy Award-winning singer was crowned in the show’s third season in 2004, at just 19 years old. In the finale, she had three standout performances including “All My Life,” “I Believe,” and “Summertime,” which was also performed earlier in the season and is the song she believes changed America’s heart towards her.
“For me, going back to ‘Summertime,’ it means a lot because that’s the song that made people change their mind on me. When I first was on ‘American Idol,’ you’re thinking someone who’s clean, polished, who has somewhat of a perfect story, and I do not have that,” she told AFROTECH™. “I was already a young mom. I had already been speaking about how I got there.”
An ode to that special moment in time for Barrino, she is reimagining “Summertime,” collaborating with music director and producer Adam Blackstone — known for his work with Rihanna, Jay-Z, Janet Jackson, and Jazmine Sullivan — in its latest rendition. However, this isn’t their first joint effort. Blackstone previously worked with the “Idol” winner when producing “When I See U,” recorded during the 2024 TIME100 Gala in April, Vibe reports.
“I think for both of us, it opened our eyes to show how we can get incredible music and incredible recordings done, not necessarily in the traditional way,” Blackstone explained to AFROTECH™. “We were able to not only do ‘When I See You,’ but follow it up with ‘Summertime.'”
He added, “I’m just so excited [because] I’ve been seeing people online just go crazy based off of her evolution of the song, my take on the arrangement, and producing the song. And it just fits so many so many idioms: R&B, soul, jazz, show tune. We can show our versatility on any stage.”
When Barrino got the call from Blackstone to rerecord the track, she recalled, “I didn’t think twice because I already know his magic that he’s gonna bring with the music.”
Business Of Music
Beyond her latest contribution in the world of music, the Golden Globe nominee also discussed her journey in the music business, which was not easy. Born and raised in High Point, North Carolina, and later becoming a teen mom, singing has always been at the center of her life.
“I’m from a small town where all we were really focused on was just the singing and the craft, and how could we make it better,” she explained. “How could we sing the song better? How could we move the crowd, move the room?”
While this helped develop her talent as a singer, there was far less attention being given towards managing her finances.
“I didn’t have that one uncle or that one auntie that [sat] us down and say, ‘Hey, you need to make sure this, this, that, and the third,'” she recalled. “It was always, ‘Hey, pick the right song. How did the show go?’ And I’m not here to fault them, but nobody was ever there to help break that generation curse.”
Upon her exit from “American Idol” and her newfound fame, the lack of financial literacy and guidance led her to face harsh consequences. “Once I started to see a lot of hurdles, of people actually recognizing and seeing that I had no business here — they knew that I could sing and perform — but they also could see that, ‘Oh, she’s not quite that savvy when it comes to the business,'” she said. “‘She’s not quite up on her p’s and q’s when it comes to this money, what’s going in and what’s going out.’ And so, honestly, I had a lot of people take advantage of me because of that.”
Leveling Up In Business
Even with the wrongs Barrino experienced, they didn’t slow her momentum in business. In 2023, she enrolled at HBCU Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, and is studying business, according to Vibe. The same year she also obtained a sommelier certification, which is awarded to those skilled in blind tasting, wine and beverage knowledge, and expertise in sales for table side service, as AFROTECH™ previously reported.
The singer-songwriter also teased other ventures coming down the pipeline, which includes a candle business as well as a swimwear line, both under the brand name Addie’s Place, created to commemorate her late grandmother, Addie Collins.
Her interest in spreading her wings as an entrepreneur remains grounded on ensuring she will be able to create generational wealth.
“Now I’ve got to go in and master all my other businesses, which is my candles, my downline that I’m coming out with, the wine. I went to school. It took me three times to pass that test, but I needed to break that generational curse,” Barrino said. “I needed to start with something that I was interested in, and that’s just what I did for myself so that I won’t just leave this earth and say, ‘She was gifted. She could sing.’ But what is my legacy, and what am I leaving behind, and what is the story that I’m telling? So that’s kinda how I got into other businesses.”
Entertainment Company
The R&B star is also taking greater agency in her artistry. She is launching Rock Soul Productions, alongside live event producer and artist manager Yvonne McNair, per Variety. Grammy-winning producer Teddy Riley was also recruited by the company, running its management, music production for film and TV soundtracks, and Broadway scoring, while Blackstone serves as a collaborator for “musical supervision, creative direction and development for scripted and non-scripted content,” per the outlet. Additionally, movie producer Dennis Reed will oversee management, music direction, songwriting, and vocal coaching.
Rock Soul Productions’ development followed after a period of reflection for the “Truth Is” hitmaker, which led her to the conclusion she is capable of navigating her artistic career under her own terms.
“I just started really analyzing and dissecting, and looking around me on who was around me, who was working for me, what companies [was] I attached to, what are they getting out of it, are we getting the same thing? And that’s when I realized, I’ve been doing this for 21 years, and it is time for me to step out and actually, do my own thing. I have been doing it for 21 years. I’ve worked with a lot of people, some good, some bad,” she explained.
The decorated songstress continued by clarifying she was already an established artist and didn’t need anyone to manage her, take a percentage, or handle her calls. “If I was a newer artist, I get that… I started to realize that I had already done it. I had already put in the work. I had already touched Broadway. I had already — thank God for the ‘Color Purple’ movie — several albums, holding a Grammy, holding several awards.” She emphasized that it was during that time she needed to bet on herself.
Rock Soul Productions is Barrino’s fresh start. With a strong team and clear vision, she’s looking to reclaim her power and now has a platform to ensure artists will be able to do the same.
