2011 has already been an eventful year for Fantasia Barrino. The year began with the news that she will be playing Mahalia Jackson in a movie about this woman’s life. For anyone who hasn’t heard of Mahalia Jackson, she was not only a wonderful gospel singer, but also a woman who fought hard for civil rights. Given Fantasia’s singing ability and professionalism, she should be able to do an excellent job playing this very strong woman.

The next notable event of 2011 was when Fantasia decided not to attend the Grammys. Given the fact that she won Best Female Vocal Performance, many people were quite surprised by her absence. While some were concerned that something was wrong with her, she later explained that she did so because she wasn’t asked to be part of the show’s tribute to Aretha Franklin. The reason her exclusion from this performance was so personal to her is because Franklin is one of Barrino’s idols. Although it’s disappointing that she wasn’t asked to participate in the performance, it is good to see that her talent was recognized with an award.

At the end of March, Fantasia got to return to American Idol and once again captivate the show’s huge audience with her amazing voice. Although the duo who performed prior to her was quite disappointing, Fantasia took control of the stage and gave an excellent performance.

In addition to everything else that is going on in 2011, Barrino will also be performing on multiple dates. Her upcoming appearances include a show in St. Louis, as well as one in Omaha.