'American Idol' Alum Mandisa Dead at 47
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 27: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Recording artist Mandisa visits SiriusXM Studios on April 27, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)
Mandisa Hundley, a Top 10 contestant on the fifth season of the original American Idol, died at home in Nashville on Thursday, April 18. She was 47.
American Christian radio network K-Love first reported the news on Facebook on Friday, April 19, telling fans that representatives from the singer's management company confirmed to the network that she had died the previous evening.
David Pierce, the Chief Media Officer of the network, issued a statement mourning her death, but celebrating her life, talent and vulnerability. "Her kindness was epic, her smile electric, her voice massive, but it was no match for the size of her heart," he wrote in part. "Mandisa struggled, and she was vulnerable enough to share that with us, which helped us talk about our own struggles."
A rep for the singer later confirmed the news to Good Morning America, noting that "at this time we do not know the cause of death or any further details."
"We ask for your prayers for her family and close-knit circle of friends during this incredibly difficult time," the rep added.
After placing ninth in the popular singing competition, Mandisa went on to become a successful Christian singer, releasing five albums and a Christmas LP throughout her career.
According to the network, "Mandisa became a staple at Christian radio with energetic, faith-affirming singles like 'Stronger,' 'Good Morning (feat. TobyMac)' and 'My Deliverer.'" In 2014, she won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for Overcomer.
She opened up about her battle with depression in her memoir, Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy, and was lauded for her transparency on and off stage, but, perhaps above all else, friends and fans remember her for her heart.
When endorsing her book, collaborator TobyMac wrote of her "genuine support" for artists and crew alike, calling her "nothing but original and courageous."
He continued, "I would say without hesitation that she is one of the most authentic people I have ever met. Her heart is to help others, and in this book, she vulnerably shares her own real-life experiences and struggles in an attempt to provide insight and love others well.”
Fellow Christian singer Natalie Grant also declared that Mandisa's "bravery and transparency" would "serve as a guide, showing many the way out of the dark.”
