Fantasia Barrino's Family Inspired Her Return to School: 'I Want to Break Generational Curses' (Exclusive)

"You can always get back and go after it again, and that's what I am doing," the singer says about studying at Central State University while celebrating her appearance on E!'s Celebrity Prank Wars

Fantasia Barrino is determined to set the best example for her three children. The singer and actress cites her family as the inspiration for her recent return to school to study business.

"I'm a businesswoman now and I desire to continue to sharpen my sword and better my craft," Barrino, 38, tells PEOPLE about enrolling at Central State University. "I want to break generational curses. When it comes to my family, my girls, my children, I want to show them that no matter what she's been through, you can always get back and go after it again, and that's what I am doing."

The American Idol alum dropped out of high school as a teenager before eventually receiving her GED in 2010. And now the honorary Sigma Gamma Rho sorority sister hopes to motivate others to keep working toward their goals.

"I want to be the example, I want to use my platform, my social media, to show people — men, women, Black, white, young, old — that if you have a dream, it doesn't have to have a timeline," she explains. "It doesn't have to look a certain way and, in fact, looks better when it has a bunch of bruises and scars because that means you fought for it."

Related:Fantasia Barrino Shares Past Photo of Daughter in NICU as She Celebrates Her Now 'Healthy Baby'

"My grandmother used to tell me anything worth having is worth fighting for and I want other people to see that if you just stay in the ring, you'll get to where you're going," she adds.

Her latest venture is an appearance on E!'s Celebrity Prank Wars alongside her The Color Purple co-star Taraji P. Henson. The pair quickly formed a strong bond while filming the upcoming big-screen adaptation of the beloved musical, and Barrino jumped at the chance to give her friend a Punk'd-style moment, which is teased in the exclusive clip below.

"I was like, 'Yeah, I'm all in,' because that's my homie and she got me a lot on Color Purple and I decided I just want to get her back one," she says about doing the competition series hosted by Kevin Hart and Nick Cannon. "It was all in love and fun. I grew up in a house with brothers and a big family, so this is the type of stuff that we were doing as kids and I really enjoy it."

The Color Purple marks Barrino's big-screen debut and she admits that pranking Henson was revenge for putting her through the wringer on the film's set. "They would just tell me stupid things like looking at the wrong camera or going to the wrong mark," she thinks back. "But every day, every day, they brought something to me and I just harbored it and I would look at Taraji and tell her, 'I'm gonna get you back one day.'"

Related:Fantasia Barrino Shares First Photos of 3-Month-Old Baby Daughter Keziah's Face: 'Stop Growing'

With a plate full of TV appearances, film roles, school, books, music and an upcoming wine line, motherhood remains Barrino's top priority. She is mom to son Dallas Xavier, 11, and daughter Zion Quari, 19, from previous relationships. And in May 2021, the Grammy-winner welcomed daughter Keziah with husband Kendall Taylor.

Keziah spent two months in NICU after she was born, which Barrino calls "the hardest thing I think I ever went through." But nearly two years later, she calls her youngest daughter a "little spicy Gemini" who runs their household.

"I couldn't take her home with me and I couldn't protect her and I couldn't hold her every day — that was hard for me," she recalls. "So now to look at her telling us what to do, it's even more fire for me to keep on moving. She's a constant reminder to me and my husband that everything is going to be OK because she fought through that NICU. She's a tough cookie and is still running the house."

Barrino credits her husband of nearly eight years for being her biggest cheerleader as she continues to tackle it all. "He just wants to see me shine," she raves. "I'm not used to somebody telling me every day how beautiful I am and with him by my side, I can do more... God sent him to remind me of the queen that I am."

Celebrity Prank Wars airs Thursday night at 10 p.m. ET/PT on E!

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