What is "fantine"

Fantine is a fictional character in Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables. She is a young orphaned grisette in Paris who becomes pregnant by a rich student. After he abandons her, she is forced to look after their child, Cosette, on her own. Originally a pretty and naïve girl, Fantine is eventually forced by circumstances to become a prostitute, selling her hair and front teeth, losing her beauty and health. The money she earns is sent to support her daughter.

Fantine became an archetype of self-abnegation and devoted motherhood. Possibly due to her status as an orphan, Hugo never labels her with a surname. She has been portrayed by many actresses in stage and screen versions of the story and has been depicted in works of art.

Fantine (born Fantine Maria Pritoula; 6 February 1984) is a Russian-born Australian multilingual singer/songwriter of Russian and Dominican descent. Fantine is currently residing in Miami, Florida. She made her musical debut on the Australian indie music scene in 2010 as a featured artist in a collaboration with Space Invadas ( Katalyst and Steve Spacek) resulting in the soulful, jazz-inspired single, Super Sweet.

In 2011, Fantine announced Rubberoom (2011) as her first solo release. The song was also aired on Australian national television programs including Rage and Video Hits, and was awarded "Indie Video Clip of The Week." Since then, Fantine has gone on to release singles Eleven (2011) and Perfect Strangers (2011), produced in the UK by Gorillaz producer, Jason Cox, and Don't Come Around (2012), recorded in Australia and produced by UK producer, Lee Groves.

In 2013, Fantine began working on her debut album, I Am Fantine (2015), with 19-time Grammy Award-winning producer, Emilio Estefan, and seven-time Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Gloria Estefan, who also co-wrote two of her songs. The Estefans curated and helped develop Fantine’s Bachata de Rosa (2014) and Reservation for Two (2014), which landed the No. 5 spot on Billboard's Dance Song Chart.

In March 2015, Fantine joined three-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter and producer, Wyclef Jean, at the Miami Beach Centennial Celebration Concert to perform a rendition of Killing Me Softly. She is currently working on her latest single What A Day (2015) co-produced by Emilio Estefan and Wyclef Jean, featuring Wyclef Jean and reggaeton singer, El Cata.

Fantine is a painting by Margaret Bernadine Hall (1863–1910) hanging in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, England. It is executed in oil on canvas, and measures 157 cm by 116.2 cm.