‘American Idol’ alum Fantasia Barrino recalls a 2010 overdose

If Fantasy Barrino prepares to return to the big screen, she reflects on the overdose that changed her life.

“I just wanted the noise to stop,” Barrino said Variety “The Power of Women” issue of Tuesday, November 14, which added that supporting her family financially had become “too much” for her.

The season 3 American Idol winner, 39, was hospitalized in August 2010 after overdosing on aspirin and sleeping pills.

Barrino recalled a nurse showing her a stack of magazines with her face on it. The nurse then said to Barrino, “Do you see that young lady? She is strong. She is a blessing. Don’t come back here again. You fight.”

After Barrino left the hospital, she promised herself that she would “never do that again” because she felt like she had a “purpose.”

“I’m going to speak into every young person’s life and tell them, ‘Don’t you dare give up,’” said the Color Purple actress shared with the outlet. ‘I don’t care if it gets ugly. I don’t care if there are storms. I realized that I have the mind of an eagle. They fly over storms.”

Barrino shared that she is so “happy” right now, especially in her marriage to Kendal Taylor. The pair tied the knot in 2015 and share daughter Keziah, 2. (Barrino is also mom to son Zion, 22, and son Dallas, 11, from previous relationships.)

“I am so HAPPY – in all caps – and I never thought I would have that,” she explained to Variety.

Related: ‘American Idol’ Winners: Where Are They Now?

You’re going to Hollywood! American Idol paved the way for reality competition shows to help everyday people achieve their dreams of music stardom. The series premiered on Fox in 2002 with a star-studded jury of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. The freshman season of American Idol introduced Kelly Clarkson, who played the […]

This isn’t the first time Barrino has been open about her overdose. Two weeks after her hospitalization, Barrino continued to recover Good morning America to discuss everything she had been through.

“I think I was just overloaded with everything, carrying so much for six years,” the singer said. “I always take a lick and keep tapping… it got so heavy for me that I just wanted to get away from the noise… there’s so much that people don’t understand. They just see the glitz and glamour, and they feel like life is so perfect, but we’re human and we go through things.

Barrino rose to fame after winning season 3 of American Idol in 2004. After her big win, Barrino earned three Grammy nominations for her 2004 debut album Free yourself and took home the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for her hit single “Bittersweet” in 2010.

The ‘Lose to Win’ singer also turned to acting in 2006 when her autobiography, Life is not a fairy tale, was adapted into a television film. Barrino starred as Celie Johnson in the Broadway musical The color purple from 2007 to 2008. She will reprise her role as Celie in the new film adaptation of the musical, which hits theaters in December.