By Cameron Lee
January 18, 2026
Two of North Carolina’s treasured musical titans — both Grammy winners and North Carolina Music Hall of Fame inductees — will share the stage on a co-headlining tour for the first time in nearly a decade. Fantasia Barrino and Anthony Hamilton, each had Billboard-charting albums throughout the 2000s and 2010s, and helped define a soulful, Southern strain of R&B rooted in gospel, delivering songs of love, loss, and redemption.
Barrino, the High Point native, launched her career in 2004 as the winner of American Idol, captivating a nation with the very first note of “Killing Me Softly” at the height of the show’s popularity. Known for her powerful, gravelly vocals and gospel-infused energy, she quickly became one of R&B’s most recognizable voices. Fantasia’s music resonated with a generation of young Black, church-going fans, guiding them along her emotional journey from humble beginnings as a 19-year-old mother to international stardom.
Her career spans music, theater, and film: she took over as Celie in the Broadway musical The Color Purple in 2007 and reprised the role in the 2023 film adaptation, earning an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture and a Golden Globe nomination. Throughout her career, Fantasia has released multiple platinum-selling albums, including Free Yourself, Back to Me, and The Definition Of…, with charting hits such as “I Believe,” “Truth Is,” “Lose to Win,” and “When I See U.” Most recently, in 2025, she appeared on the “Boots on the Ground (Remix)” with 803Fresh.
Hamilton, a Charlotte native, began his career in the late ’90s writing for artists like Donell Jones (“U Know What’s Up”) and providing backup vocals for the late D’Angelo. He first emerged on the national stage singing the soul-baring chorus on Nappy Roots’ “Po’ Folks” (2002), and his 2003 album Comin’ From Where I’m From brought him widespread acclaim, featuring hits such as “Charlene,” “I’m a Mess,” and the title track — earning him three Grammy nominations. “Charlene,” a universal story of love and regret, remains his most resonant and enduring song, connecting with multiple generations.
Hamilton has also lent his voice to numerous hip-hop collaborations over the years, including Jadakiss’ “Why?” (2004), David Banner’s “Cool” (2008), posthumous remixes of Tupac’s “Thugz Mansion” and “Dear Mama,” and a cross-genre collaboration with Gorillaz on their fifth studio album, Humanz. His most recent full-length album, Love Is the New Black (2021), showcases his signature baritone, gospel fervor, hip-hop-infused R&B, and jazz-tinged balladry.
Together, Barrino and Hamilton will deliver a night of soul-stirring music, celebrating the sound of a region and an era of R&B that continues to endure. Kicking off their 2026 co-headlining tour in Charlotte, the show is set to deliver an emotional, nearly spiritual experience for fans who grew up listening to the powerhouse vocalists in the Carolinas.
Check out the full Fantasia and Anthony Hamilton co-headlining tour schedule below, and grab your tickets here.
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