Quotes from Fantasia Barrino

I stopped going to church for awhile.

I've been singing in church since I was little; my grandmother is a pastor.

It's hard to be patient. It's hard to sit back and actually wait and allow everything - just let it be.

People root for me in such a way that when they come to a show, the experience of not knowing what's about to happen is a great thing.

I wanted to be like some of the other young ladies that were in my school. I used to get picked on in church. Nobody wants to hang out with me. I want to hang out with the cool girls, and I started to take the wrong turn and do things I knew wasn't right.

I've been wanting to sing for a long time. I've been singing all my life, and I've tried different record companies, but it seemed like - it was such a struggle and so hard to get out there. So, I said, 'I'm gonna go on American Idol and see how far it takes me.'

I caught a lot of flak for being a young mama.

I think my purpose was just to get out and sing. I love to sing. I wasn't even in it for the - you know, the prize. I was, like, 'Hey, man, I'm going to sing.

I seemed so different from other kids; I grew up in church and felt a connection with God, and a lot of kids my age really didn't understand that.

I feel like a good mom. I'm a strong woman now... Don't look down on me. Pray for me because I'm trying.

A lot of times, we get into relationships, and we go in, and we take our old ways. If we take that old baggage into something new, it will never work.

I've never been in a competition before, and I said I'm going to go. I think - I just love to sing.

My lips are big, but my talent is bigger.

Have a little faith. Don't give up.

I always say you've only got one life to live, and you're not promised a tomorrow. So, you might as well just have a good time with it.

You can't tell me that dreams don't come true. My life is proof that they do.

When I'm out on the stage, it gives me this rush and anything that's on my mind and everything I'm going through is forgotten about.

Cause when I had my child, people tried to make me feel like life was over for me, and I started to believe that.

I want real love.

You've got to make it a good example for those kids regardless of how much you mess up.

I didn't want to be the type of mother where my child came to me, and I can't even help her with her homework.

It's always good when you can bring two artists together who are totally different.

I like to play dress up, I'm in love with fashion.

When I was a child, I used to dream about being onstage in front of thousands of people, and it happened. It's not about the fame; it's about people being touched.