Mandisa Explained

Mandisa
Background:solo_singer
Birth Name:Mandisa Lynn Hundley
Birth Date:2 October 1976
Birth Place:Citrus Heights, California, U.S.
Death Place:Franklin, Tennessee, U.S.[1]
Years Active:2004–2024

Mandisa Lynn Hundley (October 2, 1976 – April 18, 2024), known mononymously as Mandisa, was an American gospel and contemporary Christian recording artist. She began her solo career as a contestant in the fifth season of American Idol finishing in ninth place. Her album Overcomer won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album; she was the fifth American Idol contestant to win a Grammy.[2]

Early life

Mandisa Hundley was born on October 2, 1976, in Citrus Heights, California, where she was also raised.[3] [4] [5] The Hundley family lived in Citrus Heights during Mandisa's growing up years and she attended school there, graduating from El Camino Fundamental High School in 1996. Following high school, she attended American River College in Sacramento, where she studied vocal jazz. She then transferred to study at Tennessee's Fisk University for vocal performance, and was a member of the school's "Jubilee Singers". Mandisa graduated from Fisk in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music.[6]

Before her solo career, Mandisa worked for a short time as a recording session backup singer for artists such as Sandi Patty, Shania Twain, and Trisha Yearwood.[7]

American Idol

In 2005, Mandisa auditioned in Chicago for the United States talent competition television show American Idol. After referring to herself as "just Mandisa", she was billed on the show as "Mandisa". When she provided background information to the show's producers, she said that her musical influences were diverse, from Whitney Houston to Def Leppard.[8]

Idol judge Simon Cowell made several comments about Mandisa's weight after her successful audition. He quipped, "Do we have a bigger stage this year?"[9] [10] Then when Paula Abdul commented that Mandisa had a "Frenchie" growl to her voice, Cowell responded that a more apt comparison would be to France itself.[10] The comments and others drew the ire of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, (NAAFA) and was one of the reasons Mandisa entitled her 2007 album, True Beauty.

When Mandisa spoke to the judges just before the season's cut to 24 semi-finalists, she told Cowell: "What I want to say to you is that, yes, you hurt me and I cried and it was painful, it really was. But I want you to know that I've forgiven you and that you don't need someone to apologize in order to forgive somebody. I figure that if Jesus could die so that all of my wrongs could be forgiven, I can certainly extend that same grace to you."[11] Cowell apologized to her immediately, saying that he was "humbled".[11]

On the March 7, 2006, Idol show, she said in her pre-performance video that she sucked her thumb until she was 24 years old. She performed a rendition of Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" which drew praise from all three judges. Mandisa was among the 12 contestants chosen on March 9, 2006, as a finalist in Idols fifth season. She was eliminated from American Idol on April 5, 2006, in the top nine (she, Paris Bennett, and Elliott Yamin were in the bottom three). None of them had previously been in the bottom three). She, like most of the eliminated contestants, appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno a day later.[12]

Performances

WeekThemeSongOrderResult
AuditionFree Choice"Fallin'"N/AAdvanced
HollywoodGroup Performance"Band of Gold"N/AAdvanced
Top 24 (12 Women)Free Choice"Never"1Safe
Top 20 (10 Women)Free Choice"Cry"10Safe
Top 16 (8 Women)Free Choice"I'm Every Woman"7Safe
Top 12Songs of Stevie Wonder"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing"4Safe
Top 11Hits of the 1950s"I Don't Hurt Anymore"1Safe
Top 1021st Century Hits"Shackles (Praise You)"5Safe
Top 9Country Music"Any Man of Mine"2Eliminated

Music career

On July 27, 2007, after being eliminated from American Idol—Mandisa performed the song "I Don't Hurt Anymore" on the TV talk show Live with Regis and Kelly. She joined Gladys Knight and others at the Apollo Theater for the benefit concert "Back to Harlem," to raise money for various charities. Mandisa was featured alongside Kirk Franklin on tobyMac's song "Lose My Soul" from his album Portable Sounds (2007).[13]

Mandisa's first full-length album True Beauty was released on July 31, 2007. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Top Christian Albums charts, making it the first time a new female artist has debuted at No. 1 in the chart's 27-year history.[14] It also debuted at No. 43 on the Billboard 200, an unusually high debut on that chart for a Christian artist. It also garnered a Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album nomination.[15] Showcasing Mandisa's stylistic range was the task set before the five sets of producers who lined up to work with her on the album: Shaun Shankel, Brown Bannister, Christopher Stevens, Drew Ramsey and Shannon Sanders (Drew and Shannon), Robert Marvin, and Josiah Bell. Mandisa personally spent time with the album's writers before the songwriting process began, sharing her vision for the project and what she hoped to communicate through the songs.

Her first single, "Only the World," was released on May 22, 2007. The song had a successful debut on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart, which tracks commercial single sales, debuting at No. 2 and reached No. 1 the following week. It is also getting major airplay on Christian radio stations. It was written by Matthew West, Sam Mizell and Clint Lagerberg. (West also co-wrote two other songs on the album.) Her cover of "Shackles" features a horn section provided by LiveHorns.com with Tommy Vaughan on trumpet, Rodney Mills on trombone, and Shane Philen on sax. They also appear on Mandisa's performance of "The Right Thing" on the VeggieTales soundtrack for The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything.

The second single "God Speaking" was released to Christian radio in October 2007. A third single, "Voice of a Savior," written by West, was serviced to Inspo radio in mid-2008, where it peaked in the Top 5 of Radio and Records' Soft AC/Inspo chart.

In November 2007, Mandisa released a holiday EP, Christmas Joy EP, which features the song "Christmas Makes Me Cry", a duet with frequent collaborator Matthew West. Earlier that year, Mandisa also recorded "Christmas Day," a duet with Michael W. Smith. The EP peaked at No. 2 on Billboards Hot Christian AC chart, stopped from reaching No. 1 by her duet with Smith, "Christmas Day". It was the first time in the history of the Christian singles chart that a solo female artist was featured on the top two singles at the same time. On October 14, 2008, Mandisa released a full-length Christmas album, It's Christmas.

Freedom was released on March 24, 2009.[16] There had also been reports that Mandisa would be releasing "We Are Family" which is a Bonus Track on Napster on April 14, 2009. The song was available for a short time on Amazon.com added to Freedom labeled as "Freedom + Bonus Track". It also debuted at No. 83 on the Billboard 200.

What If We Were Real, was released on April 11, 2011. In March 2011 she began a tour with comedian Anita Renfroe promoting the album. The first single off "What If We Were Real," a track titled "Stronger," peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart on June 18, 2011. The album has remained on the Billboard Christian Albums for 76 consecutive weeks as of September 2012. It debuted at No. 66 on the Billboard 200. The second single, "Waiting for Tomorrow," peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart the week of January 28, 2012. The third single, "Good Morning", features fellow Contemporary Christian musician tobyMac, with whom Mandisa collaborated on "Lose My Soul".

Mandisa's fourth studio album, Overcomer, was released on August 27, 2013, and debuted at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, her highest peak on that chart to date. The title track "Overcomer" was released in late July, hitting the Billboard Christian Top 20 in its third week on the charts. It went to No. 1 on that chart by October 2013 when it also appeared on the mainstream Bubbling Under chart.[17]

Mandisa won the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for Overcomer at the 56th Grammy Awards. The title song from the album also won Best Contemporary Christian Music Song for songwriters David Garcia, Ben Glover, and Christopher Stevens.[18] She declined to attend the Grammy Awards, however, saying, "I have fallen prey to the alluring pull of flesh, pride, and selfish desires quite a bit recently. I knew that submerging myself into an environment that celebrates those things was risky for me at this time.”[19] [20] Her fifth and final album, Out of the Dark, was released on May 19, 2017.[21] [22] The lead single, "Unfinished", was then released on March 10, 2017. The song reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs Chart. A compilation of her best songs, Overcomer: The Greatest Hits, was released in February 2020.[23]

Personal life

Mandisa lived in Franklin, Tennessee, a Nashville suburb. After her 2006 appearance on American Idol, she worked toward improving her health with a focus on weight loss. In a 2006 interview with The Advocate, she said she had an addiction to food.[24] The title of her second album, Freedom, was inspired by her experience of overcoming what she said was an addiction to food.[25] As of March 2009, it was reported that she lost 75 pounds. By February 2011, she reached her goal of losing 100 pounds.

After the loss of a close friend to breast cancer in 2014, Mandisa gained back much of the weight she had originally lost, as well as experiencing depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide. The loss of her friend, accompanied by a personal sense of betrayal by God, led her to retreat from the public.

In May 2017, Mandisa returned to the public eye. Speaking openly about her struggle with depression, she appeared on podcasts and wrote a memoir, "Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy". When she released Out of the Dark in 2017, it was the first album she had recorded in three years.[26] [27]

Death

On April 18, 2024, Mandisa was found dead at her home in Franklin, Tennessee, at the age of 47.[28] [29] [30] The Franklin Police Department announced the following day that they had opened an investigation into her cause of death.[31] At her memorial service, Mandisa's father John Hundley stated she was found unresponsive on the left side of her bed and speculated she had been unable to call for help with her phone on the right side of the bed.[32] On June 4, 2024, it was ruled she died due to complications of class III obesity, with the manner of death listed as natural.[33] She reportedly weighed 488 lbs at the time of her death.[34]

Several music artists and television celebrities including TobyMac and Matthew West paid tribute to Mandisa after the news of her death was released.[35] [36] American Idol paid tribute to her on the April 29 episode of the show, with Colton Dixon, Danny Gokey, and Melinda Doolittle performing "Shackles (Praise You)".[37]

Discography

See main article: Mandisa discography. Studio albums

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

Grammy Awards
YearCategoryWorkResult
2008Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel AlbumTrue Beauty
2010Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel AlbumFreedom
2012Best Contemporary Christian Music AlbumWhat If We Were Real
2014Best Contemporary Christian Music AlbumOvercomer
Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance"Overcomer"

GMA Dove Awards

Dove Awards
YearCategoryNominee / WorkResult
2008New Artist of the YearMandisa
Female Vocalist of the YearMandisa
2009Female Vocalist of the YearMandisa
2010Female Vocalist of the YearMandisa
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year"My Deliverer"
Short Form Video of the Year"Lose My Soul"

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Investigation underway after Christian singer, 'American Idol' alum Mandisa found dead. The Tennessean.
  2. Web site: Mandisa Wins First Career Grammy. KFSH-FM. February 7, 2014. dead. https://archive.today/20140208023904/http://www.thefish959.com/MusicNews/Mandisa-Wins-First-Career-Grammy. February 8, 2014.
  3. Web site: Alabama's gray-haired Hicks brings soul to 'Idol' . Legacy.decaturdaily.com . March 22, 2006 . October 1, 2016.
  4. Web site: Mandisa . AllMusic.
  5. Web site: Mandisa – Profile . . May 25, 2009.
  6. Web site: TobyMac remembers Mandisa after Christian singer's death, 'I know her battle is over ...' . .
  7. Web site: The Mandisa Story . 2024-04-22 . Learn Religions . en.
  8. Web site: December 2, 2011. Mandisa uses faith to tackle abuse, weight. Liz Somers. The Denver Post.
  9. Web site: CBN. Mandisa's American Idol Moment. Raquel Dunn. Renelle Richardson.
  10. Web site: gabyvalla . American Idol 5 – Mandisa's Audition . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/-4w9osiCiWA . December 19, 2021 . live. YouTube . April 19, 2007 . December 1, 2011.
  11. Web site: reneejlee . Mandisa – Never . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/-dj3kumSLmE . December 19, 2021 . live. YouTube . December 1, 2011.
  12. News: Mandisa voted off "American Idol" . 22 April 2024 . Orange County Register . 6 April 2006.
  13. Web site: Starsong.com. News. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070929001517/http://www.starsong.com/news/news_detail_page.aspx?id=511415&tid=227. September 29, 2007.
  14. Breaking Music News – Music Business Information – Music Industry Sales . Billboard . August 28, 2011 . December 1, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090520053315/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/chart_beat/bonus.jsp . May 20, 2009 .
  15. Web site: Gospel Singer Mandisa Earns Second Grammy Nomination . . December 7, 2011 . March 14, 2020.
  16. Mandisa – Freedom . March 22, 2009 . Billboard.
  17. Chart history. Billboard.
  18. News: Grammys: 'American Idol' Alum Mandisa Wins for 'Overcomer' . Fred Bronson . The Hollywood Reporter . January 26, 2014 .
  19. Web site: Alison Moore . Christian Grammy winner, Mandisa, doesn't attend award show . Deseret News . January 29, 2014 . June 22, 2014.
  20. Web site: Christian Singer Mandisa Skips Grammys 2014 Because of Faith, Wins 2 Awards Anyway . The Christian Post . January 28, 2014 . June 22, 2014.
  21. Web site: Mandisa's New Album Release!. Mandisa Official Website. True Artist Management.
  22. Web site: 'Out of the Dark': Mandisa Tells CBN and GMA of Fight with Suicidal Depression. April 26, 2017. October 5, 2017.
  23. OVERCOMER: The Greatest Hits Releases Today. February 20, 2022.
  24. Web site: American Idol's Mandisa: I'm 'not an advocate' for gay people . 2024-06-05 . www.advocate.com . en.
  25. News: Whatever happened to 'American Idol's' Mandisa? . Steve Almasy . CNN . March 11, 2009 . May 25, 2009.
  26. Web site: Wally on WAY-FM » How Mandisa Overcame Depression and Thoughts of Suicide. way.fm. May 17, 2017. June 2, 2017.
  27. Web site: Mandisa Opens Up about Dealing with Depression. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/auiaLBFKBRw . December 19, 2021 . live. Wally Show. May 17, 2017. June 2, 2017. YouTube.
  28. Web site: Williams . Lindsay . K-LOVE Honors the Life & Musical Legacy of Mandisa . . April 19, 2024.
  29. Web site: Gill . Benjamin . 2024-04-19 . K-LOVE Reports Christian Music Artist Mandisa Has Passed Away . 2024-04-19 . CBN . en.
  30. Web site: Report: Christian singer Mandisa, 47, dies at her Nashville home . Fox17.com . April 19, 2024.
  31. Web site: Spiller. Mary. Former 'American Idol' Competitor, Christian Music Singer Mandisa Dies at 47. Black Enterprise. April 20, 2024 .
  32. Web site: Webb . Katelyn . Mandisa 'did not harm herself,' was 'weak' from COVID-19 at time of death, claims father . . April 29, 2024 . April 30, 2024.
  33. Web site: Mandisa's Cause of Death Revealed After Grammy-Winning American Idol Alum Died at 47 . People . 4 June 2024.
  34. Web site: Lane . Liv . 2024-06-05 . Autopsy Report Reveals Mandisa May Have Died Weeks Before Friends Found Her . 2024-06-05 . Heavy.com . en-US.
  35. matthew_west . 1781346503065301462 . I am so incredibly saddened to hear about the loss of my friend Mandisa. I will always cherish the memories of times we spent together hosting award shows, going on tour, and most of all helping her tell her story in the songwriting room. . April 19, 2024 . Twitter.
  36. tobymac . 1782448820619563252 . We lost a beautiful soul... I have never met an artist who is more encouraging and supportive to other artists than Mandisa. She was honest and authentic but I always left her side feeling better. I was honored to call her friend. . April 22, 2024 . Twitter.
  37. Web site: Blackwelder . Carson . 'American Idol' sets 'special musical tribute' for Mandisa after alum's death . Good Morning America . April 23, 2024.

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