Mandisa, Grammy Award-winning gosepl singer and “American Idol” alum, dies at 47

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Mandisa, the contemporary Christian singer who appeared on “American Idol” and won a Grammy for her 2013 album “Overcomer,” has died. She was 47 years old.

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 Mandisa’s reason behind death was not yet known.

Mandisa, whose full name was Mandisa Lynn (*47*), was born near Sacramento, California, and grew up singing in church. She rose to fame after placing ninth on “American Idol” in 2006.

After leaving, host Ryan Seacrest told the singer that she was the “great soul of the show.”

Mandisa went further, releasing her debut album titled “True Beauty” in 2007, which received a Grammy nomination that 12 months for best pop and contemporary gospel album.

She then released five more albums, including a Christmas album.

In 2014, she won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for her fifth album, Overcomer.

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Mandisa has been open about her struggles with depression, publishing a memoir in 2022 titled “Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy,” which details her experiences with severe depression, weight challenges, the coronavirus pandemic and her faith.

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