Who will appear as the guest mentor during American Idol's Iconic Idol Moments episode?

American Idol season 23, episode 14, Iconic Idol Moments, will premiere on ABC on April 28. The episode will feature the top 12 contestants competing against one another to advance to the next round of the competition.

Rehearsing for the episode would be a unique experience for these 12 contestants as they would be mentored by American Idol season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino. Besides guiding and helping the contestants, the Grammy Award winner would also perform during the episode.

The announcement was made by host Ryan Seacrest during episode 12, which premiered on April 21. The remaining contestants were visibly stunned by the news, prompting Ryan to comment that their reaction was exactly what the show had hoped for. He further teased an “epic, not-to-miss performance” from Fantasia.

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Fantasia Barrino says she lost a lot after her American Idol season 3 win

Fantasia Barrino (Image via Getty)

Fantasia Barrino was a 19-year-old single mother when she first auditioned for American Idol season 3 in 2004. During her audition, she described herself as just a little girl from High Point, North Carolina, who liked to sing

The judges were immediately impressed by her powerful voice, and she advanced through the competition, ultimately becoming one of the final two contestants in the season finale.

On May 26, 2004, during the American Idol season 3 finale, Fantasia faced off against Diana DeGarmo. She presented her rendition of K-Ci & JoJo’s 1997 song All My Life and George Gershwin’s 1935 opera Porgy and Bess opera feature song Summertime.

After receiving a reported 1.3 million more votes than Diana, Fantasia was crowned the winner of the season, making her the youngest American Idol winner at the time.

While Fantasia eventually went on to release massive hits and win a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for her song Bittersweet, she had to struggle for a bit coming out of American Idol season 3.

In an exclusive interview with People, published on December 28, 2023, the singer reflected on the time after she won season 3, noting that it wasn't easy and she lost everything.

Fantasia Barrino celebrates her season 3 win (Image via Getty)

Fantasia explained that her early struggles stemmed from her not knowing anything about the music industry, Hollywood, or handling fame.

“You have to become a businesswoman and you link up with great business partners, but it doesn't have a lot to do with love. It took me a long time to figure that out,” she shared.

The American Idol season 3 winner continued:

“I didn't know anything about contracts. I didn't know anything about checking your money and making sure every day your stuff was where it was supposed to be. I just trusted and believed everybody that came into my life.”

Fantasia noted that, at the time, while she loved to sing, she didn't know anything about the music industry. She did not have any idea of how she needed to present herself on the cameras, the way people in show business were often expected to.

The singer added that although she was performing for the audience, the music was also a way for her to help herself work through personal struggles and move toward healing and growth.

Despite experiencing the struggles, Fantasia noted that she soon realized that all those low points were “necessary” for her career.

“I'm grateful for it. … If I did not go through that, I wouldn't be the woman that I am today,” she concluded.

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American Idol season 23 episodes premiere on Sunday/Monday on ABC, and are available to stream on Hulu a day later.