Gospel singer Mandisa Hundley, who was praised for her powerful vocals on “American Idol” and later won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, was found dead in her Nashville home on Thursday. She was 47 years old.
The Media Collective, which represents Hundley, confirmed her death and said in a statement that the cause of death was unknown.
Mr. Hundley performed and produced music with Christian themes. She was a fan favorite on “American Idol” in 2006, but she was eliminated fourth out of 12 finalists.
As a soul singer, she spoke openly about her love for God, and her music resonated with her fans.
Ms Hundley famously confronted the notoriously intimidating American Idol judge Simon Cowell. In a video interview on the show, she mentioned her audition in Chicago, during which Mr. Cowell said after she left the room, apparently in a joke about her weight, “Will there be a bigger stage this year?” ?” he said.
Ms. Hundley said in the video that despite her remarks, she plans to travel to Hollywood and face Mr. Cowell in the final round.
“When I got to Hollywood, I knew I had to straighten out,” she said. “I thought she was finally going to be able to talk about her work.”
“I cried because you hurt me,” she later told Mr. Cowell. “But I want you to know that I forgive you.” Cowell replied, “I’m humbled,” and the two hugged.
Hundley told The Oklahoman in 2006 that her faith helped her overcome Cowell’s hurtful comments.
“Food has always been an issue for me,” she said. “When Simon first made his comment, it was a nightmare. But God turned it around. Those words became the driving force to start a plan to live a healthier lifestyle and take control of my eating. Ta.”
She went on to record several albums. Her first album was 2007’s “True Beauty.” Her 2013 Grammy Award-winning album “Overcomer” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart. After her three nominations, this was her first Grammy win.
Mandisa Hundley was born on October 2, 1976 in Sacramento. She sang in church and studied vocal performance at American River College, a community college in Sacramento, after which she continued her studies at Fisk University in Nashville.
After college, she worked as a vocalist for singers Trisha Yearwood and Shania Twain.
She addressed her battle with depression in her 2017 album Out of the Dark, and also wrote about it in her 2022 memoir of the same name.
“My dream is for this book to be in living rooms and coffee shops all over the world and become a tool to encourage conversations about mental health,” she told “Good Morning America.”
Full obituary follows.
