Joanne Borgella facts for kids

Joanne Borgella (born May 29, 1982 – died October 18, 2014) was an American singer, model, and TV star. She was known for being a plus-size model and for appearing on the popular TV show American Idol. Joanne was the first person to win a beauty pageant called Mo'Nique's Fat Chance in 2005. She was also one of the top 24 contestants on the seventh season of American Idol in 2008. Joanne Borgella passed away in 2014 at the age of 32.

Early Life and Family

Joanne Borgella was born in Brooklyn, a part of New York City, in 1982. Her father was a doctor and her mother was a nurse. When she was a baby, her family moved to Uniondale, New York. Later, they moved to another town on Long Island called Oyster Bay Cove. Joanne had three older siblings: Joel, Jean, and Jerald.

Her Exciting Career

Joanne Borgella had a varied and exciting career in entertainment and modeling. She became well-known for her singing and her work as a model.

Singing on American Idol

In 2008, Joanne tried out for the famous TV singing competition, American Idol. She did very well during "Hollywood week" and was chosen as one of the top 12 female singers. This made her one of the top 24 final contestants for the show's seventh season.

Joanne loved music and was inspired by many great singers. Some of her favorite musical artists included Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Alanis Morissette, and Andrea Bocelli. On February 21, 2008, Joanne was eliminated from the show. She had performed the song "I Say a Little Prayer" by Dionne Warwick during her time on American Idol.

Modeling and TV Appearances

Before American Idol, Joanne had already made a name for herself. In 2005, she won the first season of Mo'Nique's Fat Chance, a beauty pageant. She was even crowned "Miss F.A.T."!

Joanne was signed by Wilhelmina Models, a big modeling agency. She worked for many well-known brands like Torrid, Ashley Stewart, Wal-Mart, and Kohls department store. Her pictures appeared in popular magazines such as Seventeen, Essence, and InStyle. She was also part of a special campaign for African American women called "My Black is Beautiful" by Procter & Gamble.

In 2011, Joanne appeared on MTV's show Made as a coach. Later, in 2013, she joined the cast of a NUVOtv show called Curvy Girls. Joanne lived in Hoboken, New Jersey for some time.

Illness and Passing

In October 2013, Joanne Borgella shared a video with her fans. In the video, she explained that she had been diagnosed with cancer. Sadly, Joanne passed away early on October 18, 2014, at the age of 32.