Fantasia Barrino made her debut into the American music scene in 2004 on the popular show American Idol. She won the competition and quickly became a hit in the music industry, at only 19 years old. By 2006, she had three Grammy nominations and in the same year played herself on Lifetime Television in Life is Not a Fairy Tale. Additionally, by February of 2012 she had sold an impressive 2,842,000 albums. Get ready Fayetteville, Fantasia is coming to town on Feb. 16.

Fantasia was born in High Point, N.C., in 1984. Professionally, she is referred to just by her first name, Fantasia. Her primary style is soul music and she strives to infuse every song she sings with love and a piece of her spirit. As a child, Fantasia was steeped in gospel and blues. This is partially thanks to her grandfather’s love of B.B. King. She was inspired by Billie Holiday, Josephine Baker, Elton John, Ella Fitzgerald, Luther Vandross, Anita Baker, Bonnie Raitt and Queen. These inspiring artists helped shape her style of music; her voice and passion make her totally unique.

Fantasia has also faced struggles in her career. In 2007, she was hired to perform in the Broadway production of The Color Purple. Her performance was met with much excitement. Unfortunately, she had to miss several performances. Eventually, it was found that she had a cyst on her vocal cords. After a successful surgery she was able to return to music in full force. By 2008, she had two more Grammy nominations and began working on her new album. Her dedication to her craft and her incredible voice makes her a true star, and Fayetteville will be lucky enough to see her in person.

The concert starts at 7 p.m. and is at the Crown Coliseum located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 1800-745-3000. They can also be purchased online with ticket master at http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0E004B7A0EF3BEDA?brand=crowncenter. Tickets will cost between $55-$75. For more information visit the following website www.atthecrown.com/index.php?s=fantasia.

Photo: American Idol winner for the 2004 season and Grammy nominee Fantasia is set to perform at the Crown on Feb. 16.