'American Idol' alum Mandisa dies at 47

Mandisa gained stardom after finishing ninth on American Idol in 2006. Photo: AP

Mandisa, a contemporary Christian singer who appeared on American Idol and won a Grammy for her 2013 album Overcomer, has died. She was 47.

A representative for the singer told The Associated Press that the singer was found dead in her home in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday. The representative said the cause of Mandisa’s death was not yet known.

Mandisa, whose full name was Mandisa Lynn Hundley, was born near Sacramento, California, and grew up singing in church. She gained stardom after finishing ninth on American Idol in 2006.

As she left, host Ryan Seacrest told the singer that she was “a great spirit on the show.”

Mandisa moved on, releasing her debut album in 2007 called “True Beauty,” which received a Grammy nomination that year for best pop and contemporary gospel album.

She went on to release five more albums, including a Christmas album.

Mandisa spoke openly about her struggles with depression, releasing a memoir entitled Out Of The Dark: My Journey Through The Shadows To Find God’s Joy in 2022 that detailed her experiences with severe depression, weight-related challenges, the coronavirus pandemic and her faith.

On Friday, the Christian radio network K-Love paid tribute to the singer on social media, saying: “Mandisa struggled, and she was vulnerable enough to share that with us, which helped us talk about our own struggles.” – AP