Antonella Barba
Antonella Barba | |
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Born | Antonella Maria Barba November 26, 1986 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
Alma mater | Catholic University of America |
Occupation | Singer |
Years active | 2007–2018 |
Musical career | |
Instrument(s) |
|
Website | officialantonella |
Antonella Maria Barba (born November 26, 1986) is an American singer. Born in
Eliminated after advancing to the top 16, Barba returned to Catholic University of America to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in architecture. She then worked as a spokesperson for the non-partisan organization ElectionMall before further pursuing a music career. She released original music and covers through her YouTube and SoundCloud accounts. Between 2011 and 2012, she was a singer for the Los Angeles rock band LA-eX, which included two Crazy Town members. She also contributed to a cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" (1971) for a 2014 UNICEF campaign, and appeared in a 2018 segment of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Apart from her music career, she has acted in several short films, competed on Fear Factor, and played a minor role in the 2017 film All About the Money.
In December 2010, she was charged with two misdemeanors for shoplifting for which she served community service. She was arrested in October 2018 in
Life and career
1986–2007: Early life and American Idol
Antonella Maria Barba was born on November 26, 1986, in Santa Monica, California, to Vincenzo and Valerie Barba.[1][2][3][4] At the age of six, she moved with her parents to Point Pleasant, New Jersey.[2] Barba began to play the violin at age four, and later learned the piano.[2][5] She gave violin lessons to children in her neighborhood,[5] and said that her middle school and high school classmates had referred to her as the "violin girl" based on her performances in talent shows.[2] While attending Red Bank Catholic High School, Barba participated in choir for four years, was part of the school's doo-wop group, and took a music theory course as a senior.[2][6][7] She went to Catholic University of America to study architecture; while attending university, she often sang with a friend from the musical theatre department.[8]
At the age of 19, Barba tried out for the
Week # | Song Choice | Original Artist | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Audition | "Free" | Deniece Williams | Advanced | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Top 24 (12 Women) | "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" | Aerosmith | Advanced | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Top 20 (10 Women) | "Because You Loved Me" | Celine Dion | Advanced | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Top 16 (8 Women) | "Put Your Records On" | Corinne Bailey Rae | Eliminated |
While participating on the show, Barba came under media scrutiny when an anonymous source leaked semi-nude photos of her online.
Following the leak, Barba's situation was compared to that of
Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson defended Barba,[24][25] and host Ryan Seacrest criticized the source of the photos as immoral.[25] Hugh Hefner dismissed the criticism of Barba based on the photos as "hypocritical and dumb".[25] Following the leak, "Antonella Barba" was the most popular search term for the week of March 3, 2007. According to Time magazine, men in the 18 to 34 year old demographic group accounted for the largest number of visitors to the website hosting the images, in sharp contrast with American Idol's audience which was older and female.[14] Vote for the Worst website creator Dave Della Terza referred to the incident as a "wake-up call" for young people to think about what they photograph and upload to social media.[4] The website ran a campaign to keep Barba on the series.[14]
2007–2011: Music career and other activities
Following her elimination from American Idol, which she described as a "hectic" time, Barba received various modeling offers.
She returned to Catholic University of America, where she graduated in 2008 with a
In 2009, Barba began work on a debut studio album, which she said would have a pop and R&B sound.[30] During an interview, she said that she was going to collaborate with Focus... in Atlanta.[31] During a trip to San Francisco, Barba had been approached by Focus...'s brother, and Focus... sent her beats as inspiration to write lyrics. He described the music as having a "hard pop edge", and said that he "want[ed] her to really sing".[28] An Entertainment Weekly contributor wrote that she would have "an uphill battle when it comes to capturing the industry’s attention", though Barba said she was still recognized from her American Idol appearances.[30] On December 1, 2009, she released "The Christmas Song" through the record label Arkatone Music Group Ltd.[32]
In 2010, Barba began recording and releasing original music and covers through her YouTube account.[33][34] On May 11, 2010, the single "Jersey Girl" was made available through the record label Seven Trumpets.[35] It was promoted with a music video, uploaded to Barba's YouTube channel on February 8, 2011.[36] She sang "Jersey Girl" on Good Day New York, with that performance included on her YouTube account on April 29, 2011.[37] The follow-up song "Out for Blood" was made available on October 29, 2010,[38] with a music video released on April 8, 2011.[39] A nine-episode web series on the video's development was also uploaded to YouTube.[40][41]
In December 2010, Barba was charged with two misdemeanors for shoplifting a pair of gloves from a Manhattan Urban Outfitters store; she was required to complete a day of community service.[17]
2011–2017: LA-eX and other music ventures
In 2011, Barba became a singer for the Los Angeles rock band LA-eX,
She competed in a 2012 episode of Fear Factor,[18] with the co-owner of her singing telegram business.[53] On August 23, 2014, Barba performed Frank Ocean's "Thinkin Bout You" (2012) at the University of California, Los Angeles, for the LEAP Foundation at the request of Dr. Bill Dorfman.[54] In November of the same year, she participated in a sing-along cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" (1971) as part of a UNICEF campaign.[55] She was one of several artists who sang a line from the song,[55] and appeared in the music video used to promote the project.[56] In 2014, Barba also played the violin on Timothy Bloom's self-titled studio album.[57]
The following year, Barba's SoundCloud account included the original songs: "Do To Me", "Cocaine HeartBreak", "Girl For A Day", and "Would You Still Love Me?".[58] Bridget Kelly had recorded "Cocaine HeartBreak" for her EP Cut to... Bridget Kelly (2013) under the title "Coca1n3 Heartbreak"; Barba was credited as a co-writer of the song.[59] Barba self-released the song "Santa" on December 7, 2015,[60] with a music video uploaded to her YouTube account on December 19, 2016.[61] Along with pursuing her music career, Barba appeared in various short films, and had a small part in the 2017 film All About the Money.[62]
2018–present: Continued work and arrests
In February 2018, Barba posted on her Twitter account that she was producing an R. Kelly song; the tweet included an image of her playing the violin while accompanied by a keyboardist and a bass violin player.[63] On May 21, 2018, Barba appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as part of a "Where are They Now" segment with other past American Idol contestants. For the bit, each person sang about their current occupation in a song, which was compared to "We Are the World" (1985).[53][64] Since 2013, she has performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" for the Los Angeles Dodgers for five consecutive years.[17] As of early 2019, she has not released an album,[17] and her official website is still "under construction".[65]
On October 11, 2018, Barba was arrested in Norfolk, Virginia, on a felony charge of distributing more than 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of heroin.[18] At the time, she was traveling in a rented car and was in Norfolk during a layover on a flight to Miami, Florida, to attend a recording session.[17][66] She faced the possibility of being sentenced to prison for between five and 40 years.[18] Barba denied the charges through statements from her criminal defense lawyer. Her attorney said that she had been unaware the drug was in the vehicle.[65] Barba was held without bond at the Norfolk City Jail until her court appearance on October 15.[18] She was released on bond on October 27, 2018,[65][67] and was ordered to live with her parents in Point Pleasant, be monitored via a GPS, and obey a curfew.[65] Barba had been living in Los Angeles at the time of her arrest.[68]
In court documents made public in February 2019, Barba was indicted and arrested on 11 federal charges, including "conspiracy to distribute and possess cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl with the intent to distribute and 10 counts of distribution or possession of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl with the intent to distribute". She was accused of acting as a courier for a drug ring.[69] According to the indictment, she has been connected to a Hampton Roads "drug conspiracy" that took place in 2017 and 2018. The report claims Barba was in the process of trafficking 830 grams (29 ounces) of fentanyl when she was arrested.[69] Barba was taken into federal custody on February 11, 2019;[70] she faced the possibility of being sentenced to prison for 10 years for each charge.[70] During that time, she pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial.[71] According to The Virginian-Pilot, she also has an ongoing felony case involving marijuana in Kansas.[72] Barba was released on bond on February 20, 2019, on the condition that she wear an ankle monitor and remain under house arrest at her father's residence in Point Pleasant.[71]
In July 2019, Barba pleaded guilty to distributing
Discography
Songs
Title | Year |
---|---|
"The Christmas Song"[32] | 2009 |
"Jersey Girl"[35] | 2010 |
"Out for Blood"[38] | |
"Do to Me"[58] | 2015 |
"Cocaine HeartBreak"[58] | |
"Girl for a Day"[58] | |
"Would You Still Love Me?"[58] | |
"Santa"[60] |
Filmography
Year | Show | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | American Idol[9] | Herself (semi-finalist) | Season 6
|
2008 | Fear Factor[53] | Herself (contestant) | Episode: "Roach Coach" |
2017 | All About the Money[62] | Jessica[76] | |
2018 | Jimmy Kimmel Live![64] | Herself |
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Sources
- Deller, Ruth A. (2012). "Gender Performance in American Idol, Pop Idol, and The X Factor". In Zwaan, Koos; de Bruin, Joost (eds.). Adapting Idols: Authenticity, Identity and Performance in a Global Television Format. Surrey: ISBN 978-1-4094-4169-4.
External links
- Antonella Barba at AllMusic
- Antonella Barba at IMDb