Joanne Borgella

Joanne Borgella was an American singer, songwriter, actress, jewelry designer and model who passed away at the young age of 32 due to endometrial cancer that spread to her brain. She was "Miss F.A.T." in 2005 on Mo'Nique's show “Fat Chance” and a top 24 contestant on the seventh season of American Idol in 2008. Born 1982 in Long Island, New York, Borgella lived in Haiti as a young child and later moved to Long Island. She started performing with Wycleff Jean at the age of 13 at the Bugga Basements. In 2005 she was Miss F.A.T. on Mo'Nique's show "Fat Chance" season one and that same year Borgella was signed to the Wilhelmina Models 10/20 division in New York and Miami. She represented such clients as Torrid, Ashley Stewart, Wal-Mart and Kohls department store and appeared in ads in Seventeen, Essence and InStyle among others. She was also the face of “Procter and Gamble” in a campaign called “My Black is Beautiful.” In 2008 Borgella auditioned for "American Idol" Season 7 and reached the Top 24 before b