Fantasia Moves Crowd to Tears as She Described Her Sometimes Dark, But Always Inspirational Journey to Stardom

This story is part of our Start. Build. Grow. series, a celebration of Black business.Fantasia appeared on stage at Jazz In The Gardens’ 17th annual Women’s Impact Luncheon in Florida to a standing ovation and a room packed with Black and brown women eager to hear her testimony.

When asked about how she balances her busy career with motherhood, “The Color Purple” star responded with: “It’s not easy. There are times when I feel very guilty...but I put my family first ‘cause family will be there when everyone else is gone. I’m gonna keep it very, very real and raw with y’all—cause that’s what y’all want right? Don’t judge me and talk about me on Facebook or TikTok.”

Fantasia then opened up about having her first child at 19 and making it her personal mission to do “everything my parents couldn’t do for me.”

However, when her daughter became older, she was more interested in having a mom who was present as opposed to material possessions.

“I had to switch it up, y’all, because in my mind I’m thinking ‘I’m going hard for her’...everything they offered me I took it but I needed to work smarter.” She then discussed experiencing financial peril and incorporating her children into her business ventures (“To whom much is given, much is required”). When asked about her extraordinary endeavors, the “Free Yourself” singer burst into song reciting: “To God be all the glory.”

The event, which took place on Friday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in honor of Women’s History Month, was powered by the Black Promoters Collective. It also was a historic moment in Miami-Dade County.

Last year, Miami-Dade became the first county in the state of Florida to have four Black women leading major police departments in the municipalities. These powerhouses—Stephanie Daniels, Cherise Gause, Harvette Smith and Delmar Noel-Pratt—were celebrated at the luncheon. The event was kicked off by a stunning performance of the Negro National Anthem by 15-year-old songstress K. Nicole.

Local radio personality Supa Cindy led a panel about entrepreneurship featuring Tina Douglas (Ashanti’s momager), financial expert Jasmine Glover and Selling Tampa’s Sharelle Rosado.

Fantasia came on shortly afterwards to that standing ovation.

“I knew I had a gift, they knew I had a gift but everybody just wanted to see how much they could profit...nobody taught me about the industry I just knew how to sing,’’ she said. “I came into the industry at 19...so many leeches...people smiling in my face all the while was taking things from me.” Fantasia, who was “raised in the church,” turned to prayer in time of crisis but now attends therapy religiously.

Fantasia also addressed her 2010 suicide attempt and her state of mind at that time. “I’m not ashamed—when I took all those pills I wanted to die,” she recalled. The star credited her family and God for getting her through that dark period.

At the end of her address, she brought several young Black girls on stage and instructed the women in the room to teach them class and elegance (“you need to save a little for the imagination”). The star thanked the women in her life for “checking her” when she needed it the most and ultimately reminded attendees of her resilience by saying: “Everything they said I could not be, I’m doing it.”