American Idol has lost another member of its family, as it has been reported that Season 5 singer Mandisa passed away at the age of 47. The Christian music artist, who became one of American Idol’s most famous contestants by releasing six albums and even winning a Grammy Award after her 2006 appearance in the singing competition, reportedly died at her home in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 18.
No details regarding the cause of death have been released as of April 19. Mandisa’s passing was announced on the Christian radio network K-Love, with chief media officer David Pierce saying (per Deadline):
Mandisa loved Jesus, and she used her unusually extensive platform to talk about Him at every turn. Her kindness was epic, her smile electric, her voice massive, but it was no match for the size of her heart.
Fans of the singer flocked to her Instagram page, commenting on pre-existing posts their messages of disbelief that Mandisa is gone. David Pierce alluded to struggles that the American Idol alum had faced, saying:
Mandisa struggled, and she was vulnerable enough to share that with us, which helped us talk about our own struggles. Mandisa’s struggles are over. She is with the God she sang about now. While we are saddened, Mandisa is home. We’re praying for Mandisa’s family and friends and ask you to join us.
Mandisa competed on American Idol’s fifth season alongside some of the series’ most impressive talent who went on to have careers in the entertainment industry post-show, including Kellie Pickler, Katharine McPhee and Chris Daughtry. Mandisa — who also dealt with some unfortunate commentary from Simon Cowell regarding her weight during the competition — placed ninth in the season that Taylor Hicks would go on to win.
In a season bursting with that much talent, ninth place was still good enough for her to get her foot in the door of the music business. Despite not making it all the way to the end, Mandisa parlayed the opportunity into a career in Gospel music, releasing her first studio album, True Beauty, in 2007.
True Beauty was nominated for a Grammy, as were her next two non-Christmas albums, Freedom and What If We Were Real. In 2014, however, she finally brought home the hardware, winning the Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for the 2013 outing Overcomer.
This, unfortunately, isn’t the first loss suffered by American Idol over the years. Last year, Season 13 contestant CJ Harris died after suffering a heart attack at age 31. In 2022, 23-year-old Willie Spence, who had sung on American Idol’s 19th season, died in a car crash.
It’s heartbreaking that Mandisa has become another life lost way too soon. We at CinemaBlend send our deepest condolences to the singer’s family, friends and everyone else who has been affected by her death.
