NEW YORK - "American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino reveals in her memoirs that she is functionally illiterate and had to fake her way through some scripted portions the televised talent show, which she won in 2004.

"You're illiterate to just about everything. You don't want to misspell," Fantasia told ABC's "20/20." "So that, for me, kept me in a box and I didn't, wouldn't come out."

The 21-year-old R&B singer says she's signed record deals and contracts that she didn't read and couldn't understand. But the hardest part, she said, is not being able to read to Zion, her 4-year-old daughter.

"That hurts really bad," she said, adding that she is now learning to read with tutors.

In her memoir, "Life is Not a Fairy Tale," which she dictated to a freelance writer, Fantasia also said she was raped in the ninth grade by a classmate. She says the boy was disciplined, but she blamed herself for the attack.

She dropped out of high school that year and became an unwed mother at 17

NEW YORK - "American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino reveals in her memoirs that she is functionally illiterate and had to fake her way through some scripted portions the televised talent show, which she won in 2004.

"You're illiterate to just about everything. You don't want to misspell," Fantasia told ABC's "20/20." "So that, for me, kept me in a box and I didn't, wouldn't come out."

The 21-year-old R&B singer says she's signed record deals and contracts that she didn't read and couldn't understand. But the hardest part, she said, is not being able to read to Zion, her 4-year-old daughter.

"That hurts really bad," she said, adding that she is now learning to read with tutors.

In her memoir, "Life is Not a Fairy Tale," which she dictated to a freelance writer, Fantasia also said she was raped in the ninth grade by a classmate. She says the boy was disciplined, but she blamed herself for the attack.

She dropped out of high school that year and became an unwed mother at 17
She also mentioned on last night's 20/20 and I am sure it was also in her book, she was raped at the age of 13 in her school's auditorium.

Yeah she had a pretty crappy life. So did Kelly.

Yeah she had a pretty crappy life. So did Kelly.
If she cant read, how in the hell did she make it to highschool?

If she cant read, how in the hell did she make it to highschool?
LOL I dont know. Good thing she made it on AI :p

LOL I dont know. Good thing she made it on AI :p
WOW! I had no idea she had such a hard life!

If she cant read, how in the hell did she make it to highschool?
she was a drop-out. not only that, there are other members of her immediate family who are also illiterate.

If she cant read, how in the hell did she make it to highschool?


I don't know where she is from, but that says volumes about that school system.

I saw her interview on 20/20 last night with Fantastia, and I must admit I was surprised by her admission that she is functionally illiterate and that she was raped as a teenager. It took great bravery for her to admit to this, and she said she is determined to learn how to read and write before moving on with her career!

why in the hell didn't she learn to read? and HOW in the hell did she get into high school without being able to? that's impossible.

actually no. statistically, a lot of high school graduates go through high school illiterate, especially lower class people. just saying.

actually no. statistically, a lot of high school graduates go through high school illiterate, especially lower class people. just saying.

Yeah. Some kids fall through the cracks. Not all school systems are up to par with the rest. Look at the inner city schools where there isnt enough funding for textbooks and they cram more kids into a classroom than they have room for. How well do you think those kids are doing in school?

A lot of students probably go unnoticed. There can't be that much time, room or individual attention for every single kid who's having trouble, especially in a flawed system.

I don't know where she is from, but that says volumes about that school system.

She's from North Carolina like fellow AI-er (Season 2) Clay Aiken, but I think they're from different areas.

Anyway, what Fantasia went through is pretty sad. :( You gotta give the girl mad props for overcoming her obstacles.

I watched it too. It's so sad :(

Dumb question, but being illiterate, what exactly does that mean? Like, what are her limits?

I watched it too. It's so sad :(

Dumb question, but being illiterate, what exactly does that mean? Like, what are her limits?

I don't know exactly if there's a limit. All I know is that if you're illiterate, you can't read at all, period.

Wait, isn't being illiterate the same thing as being DYSLEXIC or are they two completely different things??!

I don't know exactly if there's a limit. All I know is that if you're illiterate, you can't read at all, period.

Wait, isn't being illiterate the same thing as being DYSLEXIC or are they two completely different things??!


They are sort of similar.

Dyslexia
A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.

Illiterate


Unable to read and write.
Having little or no formal education.

Marked by inferiority to an expected standard of familiarity with language and literature.
Violating prescribed standards of speech or writing.

They are sort of similar.

Dyslexia
A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.

Illiterate


Unable to read and write.
Having little or no formal education.

Marked by inferiority to an expected standard of familiarity with language and literature.
Violating prescribed standards of speech or writing.
I see. So I guess Fantasia fits in the first definition of illiterate?

I understand that not every school is up to par, but honestly its not fair to the students who cant read to be passed along so quickly. That doesnt exactly prepare them for adulthood. I dunno, you would think if she couldnt read and such, shed be failing unless she cheated or something. Either way, shes come a long way :).

I guess Fantasia's illiteracy has greatly hurt her post AI career. Other AI stars like Kelly Clarkson have made TV appearances and had thier own specials - but to my knowledge I haven't seen Fantasia around much.

Tonight FOX aired the rerun of the Simpsons episode where Fantasia played a young girl competing with Lisa in an AI type singing contest. Her character only sang a song. No speaking lines whatsoever.

I'm not trying to make a joke here, but you're not going to have any kind of showbiz career if you can't read a script.

What I'm really curious about is, how did she memorize songs that she had to sing? I mean you have to write the song out, understand bars & such or what have you. I'm guessing someone basically sung the songs to her & she memorized them until she got them right..

how did she memorize songs