The world discovered Mandisa Lynn Hundley, aka Mandisa, when she stormed into our consciousnesses as the big-voiced marvel on American Idol season five. And though Mandisa was “voted off” the show early in the finals round, she was roundly hailed as one of the greatest pure singers in the history of the show.
Mandisa took her AI fame into the Gospel world, hitting #1 with her debut album, the first of several hit Gospel projects. And her career would hit its zenith in 2014, when her Overcomer disc won for her the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian album.
Despite her musical success, Mandisa was honest about her struggles with both depression and an eating disorder, with the two issues co-existing for several years. These challenges were laid out with candor in her 2022 autobiography, Out of the Dark.
Sadly, Mandisa died of complications from obesity in 2024, at just age 47.
By Chris Rizik
