Fantasia Barrino Knew Husband Kendall Taylor Was The One After Only Three Weeks

"American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino and her husband Kendall Taylor have been married since July 2015. Their intimate wedding day was reserved only for their closest loved ones, likely since it happened so quickly after they met inside a club. In fact, Barrino and Taylor walked down the aisle after just three weeks of dating.

While this may be unconventional to some, Barrino knew right away that Taylor was the one for her. After already having two children, Zion and Dallas, from previous relationships, and a sad life before her superstardom, Barrino wanted a partner who could accept her children and be a leader in her family. Additionally, Barrino, who is deeply reliant on her faith, was also pleased to find someone who was also a firm believer in God. In May 2023, Taylor even received his honorary doctorate from the Texas Seminary Christian University, something Barrino praised him for on her Instagram. He has also been supporting her as she promotes her forthcoming film, "The Color Purple." And despite the rush from meeting to marriage, the couple is still going strong eight years after their whirlwind romance began.

During a July 2016 chat with Billboard, Fantasia Barrino reflected on Kendall Taylor reeling her in with a touching act as she prepared to go on tour. "I just knew [he was the one]. I was getting ready to go on the road, and he got on his knees and said, 'Can I pray for you? I just want to cover for you down the road.' In the time I'd been fasting from relationships, I asked God for someone to pray for me — someone that could cover me and my kids and be the man of the house. That's when I knew," Barrino shared with the outlet. 

In October 2019, Barrino reiterated this point in an interview with Angela Yee's Lip Service, sharing how shocked she was at the moment. "He kneeled down and started praying. And I couldn't even get caught up in the prayer, 'cause I was like, 'Is this real?'" Barrino told the hosts.  Their faith also translated to them abstaining from sex before the wedding, another positive point that has seemingly contributed to the success of their marriage.

Another factor that Fantasia Barrino appreciated regarding Kendall Taylor was that he shared her traditional values. During her stunning transofrmation, Barrino was working hard on her personal life. When they met, Barrino was practicing celibacy, which Taylor respected. "We were married before we made love. That was one of the things I wanted, too. There were just certain things that I asked God for that he brought to me through my husband," Barrino also added while speaking with Lip Service.

The couple hit another milestone in their marriage in May 2021 when they welcomed their first child together, Keziah. A year later, they penned a book about their union, titled "No Crowns in the Castle: Building a Strong Relationship and a Harmonious Life." The couple continues to thrive, with Taylor penning a touching Instagram tribute to his wife on November 19, 2023, revealing how he and his partner had overcome many obstacles together. "Best Friend: We lost everything together @tasiasword. We cried together, we prayed together, then looked each other in the eyes and Agreed that we were greater than our present circumstances!" he wrote in part. Though their romance was fast, the doting pair has no regrets.