Fantasia
Fantasia in 2008, Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Fantasia Monique Barrino
Place of Birth: High Point, North Carolina, U.S.
Date of Birth: June 30, 1984
Ethnicity: African-American
Fantasia, also known as Fantasia Barrino, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and actress. She won the third season of the show American Idol, in 2004, where she was especially known for her rendition of the song “Summertime.” Her original songs include “I Believe,” “When I See U,” “Put You Up on Game,” “Bittersweet,” and “Lose to Win.” She was the second woman to have her first single debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her acting performances include the made-for-tv movie Life Is Not a Fairy Tale, in which she played herself, based on her book autobiography; and the musical film version of The Color Purple (2023), a role she also played on stage. See other American Idol winners here.
Fantasia’s parents, Diane and Joseph Barrino, are both African-American. Her uncles, The Barrino Brothers, were a 1970s soul music group. She is married to businessperson Kendall Taylor. She has three children, including a daughter with Kendall.
African-Americans with the surname Barrino have lived in North Carolina since at least the mid 1800s, and usually came from South Carolina before that. It appears that the surname was originally Barrineau. Speculation that the family has some degree of Hispanic, specifically Cuban, ancestry, is not accurate.
Fantasia’s paternal grandfather was Curtis Barrino (the son of Jesse/Jessie Barrino and Juanita McKeythan/McKether). Curtis was born in North Carolina. Juanita was the daughter of Curtis McKeythan and Faye Thomas.
Fantasia’s paternal grandmother was Madie Medley (the daughter of Robert Medley and Ellen Chambers). Madie was born in North Carolina.
Fantasia’s maternal grandfather was named Neil/Neal C. Washington. Neal was born in South Carolina.
Fantasia’s maternal grandmother was named Addie Lee Hicks. Addie was born in South Carolina, and was a pastor.
Sources: Genealogy of Fantasia Barrino – https://www.geni.com
Fantasia’s paternal grandfather, Curtis Barrino, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Fantasia’s paternal grandmother, Madie (Medley) Barrino – http://www.genealogybuff.com
Dam i didnt know fanny was
Mixed, i thought she was just
A talented black woman,
Yoy never know a person race
By looks and color, but im sorrt
But i got to see proof, about her
Heritage,sorry i just cant believe
It,mixed black people dont look like
That,every body isnt mixed, that’s
And lie, some yes but most are not
6 generations back dont mean mixed,
To me this is my opinion but, mixed
To me is threw parents and grandparents
And maybe distantly mixed threw
Great grand parents,,but yes mixed
Is parent$ and grand parents, that’s
A fact, see ya
Most people in the carib/antilles (that includes PR, DR, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti ect.) are of the 3 dominating following decents:
1. Taino/Arawak decent (We are not extinct, so don’t believe that lie)
2. Spanish
3. African
We are not LIMITED to these three and we were historically enslaved.
So it is not out the the possibility she is indeed of some indigenous carib that what enslaved or migrated to the states. Google: “caribbean african diaspora” there is a website that will school you!
You forgot about trinidadians!
us cubans are black. all the whites went to miami.
There are black people in Latin America just as black as Michael Jordan or Wesley snipes. They just have Spanish last names as opposed to northern european as most of us do.
Lots of black folks in Latin America have been kicked to the side of their societies. Ever listen to Cuban music? That alone would tell you there are black people there
HEy EtHNiC, fANtASiA iS 0f pUERt0 RiCAN ANd AfRiCAN dESCENt, hER fAtHER MUSt BE pUERt0 RiCAN ANd bLACk 0R jUSt pUERt0 RiCAN. HER HALf-bR0tHER SAyS tHAt AND hiS NAME iS RiCC0 bARRiN0 ANd HE CALLS HiMSELf pUERT0 RiCC0. SOURCE: puertoriccmusic.com
S0… y0U SH0ULd ChANGE tHAt.! tHANkS.! =]]
hmm he calls himself Puerto Ricco but doesnt really mention much about his Latino roots…