Fantasia Barrino experienced a moment of sheer panic earlier this month. While traveling to promote the new film adaptation of “The Color Purple,” produced by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, Barrino, 39, called home and received quite a scare.

“My husband picked up, and it sounded like a bunch of screaming. The first thing I thought was that something terrible had happened, so I immediately hung up to prepare myself,” Barrino tells PEOPLE about ringing up her husband of eight years, Kendall Taylor. “I called back like, ‘Babe, you have to tell me what’s wrong,’ and he’s like, ‘Tasia, you just got nominated for a Golden Globe!’ I literally started crying. Like, the ugly cry.”

The Color Purple’s Critical Acclaim

In the new hit and critically acclaimed film, based on Alice Walker’s 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Barrino stars as Celie, a Black woman in the 1920s South who battles vicious abuse, racism, and low self-esteem before finding her voice, power, and freedom with the help of other women. “Celie and I have a lot in common when it comes to family situations, losing things, and feeling ugly and unseen,” says the R&B singer and mother of three.

For Barrino, her husband Taylor, a businessman with whom she shares a 2-year-old daughter Keziah, has been instrumental in her healing process. “My husband’s been in the trenches with me,” says Barrino. “He came into my life and was the first person that ever called me beautiful and a queen every day, even when I felt like I didn’t look good or my hair was all over my head.”

A Moment to Cherish

The news of her Golden Globe nomination was made even more special because it came from Taylor. “It means a lot to share this moment with him. He’s invested so much into my life, and I feel like he’s my soulmate.” When she first saw the film, Taylor was with her. “My husband went with me, and he ended up grabbing my shoulders and whispering in my ear, ‘I’m going to have to catch myself. I’m about to cry.'”

Barrino adds, “My husband and I are both in therapy, and there were parts of the film that touched him. This movie is a healer.”

Their Love Story

Fantasia Barrino found her soulmate in Kendall Taylor. The American Idol alum first met her husband in North Carolina, where they both grew up, and they had an instant connection. They exchanged vows at a courthouse three weeks after meeting in 2015. Since then, the couple has shared many glimpses of their sweet love story, supporting each other at events and gushing about one another on social media.

In May 2021, they welcomed their daughter Keziah. Fantasia Barrino is also mom to son Dallas Xavier and daughter Zion Quari from previous relationships, while Taylor is dad to son Trey from a previous relationship.

Taylor’s Background and Their Instant Connection

Taylor hails from North Carolina, like Barrino. He and his younger brother Robert were raised by their single mom in Gastonia, which is about two hours from Barrino’s hometown of High Point. They first met at a rooftop bar in Charlotte in 2015. During a 2019 appearance on The Breakfast Club,

Barrino recalled how she spent a lot of time working on herself before meeting Taylor: “I knew I was broken as hell. I knew that I was carrying a lot of stuff. I wanted a relationship, but there’s no way I was gonna have it with all that baggage.”

While working on herself, Barrino had a list of what she wanted in a man, including someone who would love her, her children, and God. “All the things that were on my list, he was,” she said of Taylor. “Every day, I would put up on index cards what I was looking for and what I wanted. Everything I had on my wall, Kendall was that,” she told PEOPLE in 2019. “He was a praying man, a smart man, a man with a story, a man with a past, and he was going somewhere; I saw the king in him, and he saw the queen in me.”

A Marriage of Over Eight Years

Their connection was so instantaneous that three weeks after meeting, they decided to marry at a local courthouse. “He was like, ‘Let’s do it.’ We went and got married at the courthouse. None of y’all knew. The world didn’t know,” Barrino told The Breakfast Club.

They later held a wedding ceremony on a yacht in July 2015, which Barrino posted about on Instagram. “This Man … God made him just for Me and me Just For Him,” she wrote. “Be Happy with me, you guys, because I’ve been through SOOOOO much. Some stuff was my wrong decisions, but all I ever really wanted was this … Real Love. This Man and this smile are real.”

Parenthood and Shared Challenges

In May 2021, Barrino and Taylor welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Keziah Taylor. Besides Keziah, Barrino is mom to son Dallas Xavier and daughter Zion Quari from previous relationships, while Taylor is dad to son Treyshaun.

Barrino announced her pregnancy in late November 2020 during an Instagram Live session with her husband, discussing her fertility issues. In December, she opened up about her pregnancy journey on The Tamron Hall Show, sharing that it took her years to conceive naturally. “This is a three-year journey we’ve been on,” she revealed.

Taylor’s Role as a Grandfather and Philanthropist

Taylor is also a proud grandfather to his son Trey’s two children. In December 2019, Taylor announced the arrival of his second grandchild, sharing a sweet video of Trey rocking his newborn. Additionally, Taylor runs a non-profit organization called Salute 1st, inspired by his experiences growing up in “the underworld of crime, drugs, and violence.” At 16, he survived multiple gunshot wounds in a deadly shootout, leaving a bullet lodged in his lungs.

Salute 1st aims to “impact men from all walks of life by challenging faulty perspectives and belief systems, building men of good character who possess the necessary critical thinking and emotional mastery skills conducive to a successful lifestyle.”

His Achievements and Support for Barrino

In June 2023, Taylor was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Texas Seminary Christian University in Dallas. Barrino cheered his achievement on Instagram, writing, “Dr. Kendall Taylor: Saying that I’m Proud of you ‘King’ is an UNDERSTATEMENT!!! You have to know this Man’s Story to know why this is so impressive. The Vision, The Program! ‘Salute’ to the Kings and young Kings you have poured so much into Kendall. Now God is pouring back into you. I Salute you Black Man with both my hands.”

Taylor is one of Barrino’s biggest supporters. In addition to accompanying her at various red carpet events, including the 2019 Grammy Awards, Taylor has spoken highly of Barrino’s role in “The Color Purple.” “I’m thankful People will Finally get to witness one of your greatest bodies of work,” he wrote to Barrino ahead of the film’s release. “I’m thrilled that God will soon speak directly through your gift of Music. But above all, I’m Honored that I am able to experience the beautiful Process of your Evolution Black Queen!”

Conclusion

Fantasia Barrino’s journey with Kendall Taylor is a testament to finding love, healing, and support. Their instant connection, swift marriage, and ongoing dedication to one another highlight the strength of their bond. With Taylor by her side, Barrino continues to shine both personally and professionally, as evidenced by her Golden Globe nomination for “The Color Purple.”

For more on Fantasia Barrino’s life and her buzzed-about new role, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE. “The Color Purple” is in theaters now.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How did Fantasia Barrino meet her husband, Kendall Taylor?
Fantasia Barrino met Kendall Taylor at a rooftop bar in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2015. They had an instant connection and got married three weeks later.

2. How many children do Fantasia Barrino and Kendall Taylor have together?
They have one daughter together, Keziah Taylor, born in May 2021. Barrino has two other children from previous relationships, and Taylor has a son from a previous relationship.

3. What is Salute 1st, and who founded it?
Salute 1st is a non-profit organization founded by Kendall Taylor. It aims to help men develop good character and critical thinking skills, drawing from Taylor’s own challenging experiences growing up.

4. What significant milestone did Kendall Taylor achieve in June 2023?
In June 2023, Kendall Taylor received an honorary doctorate degree from Texas Seminary Christian University in Dallas, which Barrino proudly celebrated.

5. How has Kendall Taylor supported Fantasia Barrino in her career?
Taylor has been a steadfast supporter of Barrino, accompanying her to events and celebrating her achievements, including her Golden Globe nomination for “The Color Purple.”