Mandisa
Encyclopedia
Mandisa Hundley is an American
gospel
singer, who was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season
of American Idol
.
. After graduating from El Camino Fundamental High School
, she attended American River College
in Sacramento
where she studied Vocal Jazz. Then she studied at Fisk University
in Tennessee
and graduated with a bachelor's of music degree with a concentration in vocal performance.
in Chicago
. She referred to herself as "just Mandisa," thus was billed simply as Mandisa on the show. She stated that her musical influences run the gamut from Whitney Houston
to Def Leppard
.
Idol judge Simon Cowell
made several comments about Mandisa's weight after her successful audition. He first quipped are we "going to have a bigger stage this year. Then, when Paula Abdul
commented that Mandisa had a "Frenchie
" growl to her voice, Cowell responded that a more apt comparison would be to France
itself. These were among comments that drew the ire of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance
, (NAAFA) and would be one of the reasons Mandisa would entitle her 2007 album True Beauty.
When Mandisa presented herself to the judges prior to the final cut-down to the season's 24 semi-finalists, she told Cowell: "What I want to say to you is that, yes, you hurt me and I cried and it was painful, it really was. But I want you to know that I've forgiven you and that you don't need someone to apologize in order to forgive somebody. I figure that if Jesus
could die so that all of my wrongs could be forgiven, I can certainly extend that same grace to you." Cowell told Mandisa that he was "humbled" and apologized to her immediately.
On the March 7, 2006, Idol show, she stated in her pre-performance video that she sucked her thumb until she was 24 years old. She performed a rendition of Chaka Khan
's "I'm Every Woman
" which drew praise from all three judges. She was among the 12 contestants chosen on March 9, 2006, as a finalist in Idols fifth season.
Mandisa was eliminated from American Idol on April 5, 2006, in the Top 9, having never previously been in the Bottom 3 (she was there with Paris Bennett
and Elliott Yamin
, neither of whom had been in the bottom 3 either). Mandisa revealed that, when the first group of Taylor Hicks
, Kellie Pickler
and Chris Daughtry
was sent back to safety, and Mandisa, Elliott and Paris were on the stage on one side and the other group of Ace Young
, Katharine McPhee
and Bucky Covington
on the other side, she told Paris and Elliott that it was most likely their own group in the bottom three, as she remembered how the same thing had happened in American Idol (season 3)
, when the three divas landed in the bottom three, and was sure that it would probably be a "shocker" like that one as Ace, Katharine and Bucky had all been in the bottom three earlier. She, like most eliminated contestants, appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno one day later.
. She also joined Gladys Knight
and others at the Apollo Theater
for the benefit concert "Back to Harlem," to raise money for various charities.
Mandisa collaborated with tobyMac
and Kirk Franklin
on tobyMac's album, Portable Sounds
.
, an unusually high debut on that chart for a Christian artist. It also garnered a Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
nomination. Showcasing Mandisa’s stylistic range was the task set before the five sets of producers who lined up to work with her on the album: Shaun Shankel
, Brown Bannister
, Christopher Stevens
, Drew Ramsey & Shannon Sanders, and Robert Marvin & Josiah Bell. Mandisa also spent personal time with the album’s writers before the songwriting process began, sharing her vision for the project and what she hoped to communicate through the songs. The end result is a seamless flow of tracks that create a diverse landscape for messages of hope, inspiration and faith.
Her first single, "Only the World
," was released on May 22, 2007. The song had a successful debut on the Billboard
Hot Singles Sales chart, which tracks commercial single sales, debuting at number two and reached number one the following week. It is also getting major airplay on Christian radio stations. It was written by Matthew West, Sam Mizell and Clint Lagerberg. (West also co-wrote two other songs on album.)
Mandisa's cover of "Shackles" features a horn section provided by LiveHorns.com with Tommy Vaughan on trumpet, Rodney Mills on trombone, and Shane Philen on sax. They also appear on Mandisa's performance of "The Right Thing" on the VeggieTales
soundtrack for The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
.
The second single "God Speaking" was released to Christian radio in October 2007. A third single, "Voice of a Savior," written by West, was serviced to Inspo radio in mid-2008, where it peaked in the Top 5 of Radio and Records' Soft AC/Inspo chart.
", a duet with frequent collaborator Matthew West
. Earlier that year, Mandisa also recorded "Christmas Day," a duet with Michael W. Smith
. The EP peaked at number two on Billboard's Hot Christian AC chart, stopped from reaching number one by her duet with Smith,"Christmas Day." It was the first time in the history of the Christian singles chart that a solo female artist was featured on the top two singles at the same time.
On October 14, 2008, Mandisa released a full-length Christmas album, It's Christmas. All songs from the Christmas Joy EP were featured on It's Christmas, as well as several new tracks.
was released on March 24, 2009.
There have also been reports that Mandisa will be releasing "We Are Family
" which is a Bonus Track on Napster
on April 14, 2009. The song was available for a short time on Amazon.com added to Freedom
labeled as "Freedom + Bonus Track."
, was released on April 11, 2011. In March 2011 she began a tour with comedian Anita Renfroe
promoting the album. The first single is entitled "Stronger". It peaked at number 1 on June 18, 2011. As of July 13, the album has sold more than 51,000 copies.
community of Antioch, Tennessee
. Since her appearance on American Idol
in 2006, Mandisa has made efforts toward health and weight loss
. The title of her second album, Freedom
, was inspired by her experience of overcoming an "addiction" to food
. As of March 2009, she had reportedly lost 75 pounds and hoped to lose a total of 100 or more. As of February 2011, she has reached her goal and lost 100 pounds.
Other Albums
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
singer, who was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season
American Idol (season 5)
The fifth season of American Idol began on January 17, 2006 and concluded on May 24, 2006. Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell returned to judge, and Ryan Seacrest returned to host. It is the most successful season to date ratings-wise and also with 18 contestants getting record deals -...
of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
.
Early life
Mandisa Lynn Hundley was born and raised in Citrus Heights, CaliforniaCitrus Heights, California
Citrus Heights is a city in Sacramento County, California, USA. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 83,301, down from 85,071 at the 2000 census....
. After graduating from El Camino Fundamental High School
El Camino Fundamental High School
El Camino Fundamental High School is an American public high school in Sacramento, California in the San Juan Unified School District. Built in 1950 as El Camino High School, "Fundamental" was added to the name in the late 1970s to signify the school's intention to focus upon basic ...
, she attended American River College
American River College
American River College is a California community college located in the southern edge of unincorporated Foothill Farms in Sacramento County, California....
in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
where she studied Vocal Jazz. Then she studied at Fisk University
Fisk University
Fisk University is an historically black university founded in 1866 in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. The world-famous Fisk Jubilee Singers started as a group of students who performed to earn enough money to save the school at a critical time of financial shortages. They toured to raise funds to...
in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and graduated with a bachelor's of music degree with a concentration in vocal performance.
American Idol
Mandisa auditioned for the United States talent competition show American IdolAmerican Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. She referred to herself as "just Mandisa," thus was billed simply as Mandisa on the show. She stated that her musical influences run the gamut from Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
to Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
.
Idol judge Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
made several comments about Mandisa's weight after her successful audition. He first quipped are we "going to have a bigger stage this year. Then, when Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
commented that Mandisa had a "Frenchie
Frenchie Davis
Franchelle "Frenchie" Davis is an R&B singer and former contestant on the second season of the American reality television show American Idol. Davis performed in Rent on Broadway in 2003...
" growl to her voice, Cowell responded that a more apt comparison would be to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
itself. These were among comments that drew the ire of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance
National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance
The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance is a non-profit civil-rights organization in the US dedicated to improving the quality of life for the obese...
, (NAAFA) and would be one of the reasons Mandisa would entitle her 2007 album True Beauty.
When Mandisa presented herself to the judges prior to the final cut-down to the season's 24 semi-finalists, she told Cowell: "What I want to say to you is that, yes, you hurt me and I cried and it was painful, it really was. But I want you to know that I've forgiven you and that you don't need someone to apologize in order to forgive somebody. I figure that if Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
could die so that all of my wrongs could be forgiven, I can certainly extend that same grace to you." Cowell told Mandisa that he was "humbled" and apologized to her immediately.
On the March 7, 2006, Idol show, she stated in her pre-performance video that she sucked her thumb until she was 24 years old. She performed a rendition of Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
's "I'm Every Woman
I'm Every Woman
"I'm Every Woman" is a hit song recorded by Chaka Khan in 1978. It was Chaka Khan's first hit outside of her recordings with funk band Rufus; the song was included on her platinum debut solo album Chaka. Produced by Arif Mardin and written by successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie...
" which drew praise from all three judges. She was among the 12 contestants chosen on March 9, 2006, as a finalist in Idols fifth season.
Mandisa was eliminated from American Idol on April 5, 2006, in the Top 9, having never previously been in the Bottom 3 (she was there with Paris Bennett
Paris Bennett
Paris Ana'is Bennett is an American singer. She came to national recognition as a contestant on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, finishing in fifth place...
and Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....
, neither of whom had been in the bottom 3 either). Mandisa revealed that, when the first group of Taylor Hicks
Taylor Hicks
Taylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season of American Idol. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released...
, Kellie Pickler
Kellie Pickler
Kellie Dawn Pickler is an American country music artist and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol, eventually finishing in sixth place. In 2006, she signed to 19 Recordings and BNA Records as a recording artist, releasing...
and Chris Daughtry
Chris Daughtry
Christopher Adam "Chris" Daughtry is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Daughtry and as the fourth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, from which he was eliminated on May 10, 2006...
was sent back to safety, and Mandisa, Elliott and Paris were on the stage on one side and the other group of Ace Young
Ace Young
Brett Asa "Ace" Young is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He came to national recognition upon appearing on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, although he was eliminated from the competition on April 19, 2006, finishing in seventh place.-Early...
, Katharine McPhee
Katharine McPhee
Katharine Hope McPhee is an American pop singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.Her self-titled debut album was released on RCA Records...
and Bucky Covington
Bucky Covington
William Joel "Bucky" Covington III is an American country music singer. He placed eighth on the 5th season of the Fox Network's talent competition series American Idol. In December 2006, he signed a recording contract with Lyric Street Records...
on the other side, she told Paris and Elliott that it was most likely their own group in the bottom three, as she remembered how the same thing had happened in American Idol (season 3)
American Idol (Season 3)
The third season of American Idol premiered on Monday, January 19, 2004 and continued until May 26, 2004. The third season was won by Fantasia Barrino, who defeated Diana DeGarmo by an approximate margin of 2% ; the vote total was the highest recorded vote total in the show's history until the...
, when the three divas landed in the bottom three, and was sure that it would probably be a "shocker" like that one as Ace, Katharine and Bucky had all been in the bottom three earlier. She, like most eliminated contestants, appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno one day later.
Performances
| Week # | Theme | Song Choice | Original Artist | Order # | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Audition | Free Choice | "Fallin' Fallin' "Fallin" is a song recorded, written, and produced by American recording artist Alicia Keys for her debut album, Songs in A Minor. Released to radio and music video outlets in 2001, it is generally considered her signature song. "Fallin'" became Keys' first number-one single in the United States... " |
Alicia Keys Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano... |
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| Hollywood | Group Performance | "Band Of Gold Band Of Gold (Freda Payne song) "Band of Gold" is a popular song written by Holland–Dozier–Holland under the pseudonym Edythe Wayne, and Ron Dunbar, and first recorded by Freda Payne... " |
Freda Payne Freda Payne Freda Charcilia Payne Some sources give a birth year of 1945, but this appears to be an error as all sources agree that she is older than her sister Scherrie, born 1944. is an American singer and actress best known for her million selling, 1970 hit single, "Band of Gold". She was also an actress in... |
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| Top 24 (12 Women) | Free Choice | "Never Never (Heart song) "Never" is the name of a song recorded by rock band Heart. It was released as the second single from the band's self-titled 1985 album Heart. The song is an aggressive rock number with an uplifting lyric to a person who has been discouraged by love... " |
Heart Heart (band) Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music... |
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| Top 20 (10 Women) | Free Choice | "Cry Cry (Faith Hill song) “Cry” was the first single from American Country singer Faith Hill's 2002 Cry album. Before her rendition, the song was recorded by its writer, Angie Aparo for his 1999 album, The American.... " |
Faith Hill Faith Hill Faith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S... |
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| Top 16 (8 Women) | Free Choice | "I'm Every Woman I'm Every Woman "I'm Every Woman" is a hit song recorded by Chaka Khan in 1978. It was Chaka Khan's first hit outside of her recordings with funk band Rufus; the song was included on her platinum debut solo album Chaka. Produced by Arif Mardin and written by successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie... " |
Chaka Khan Chaka Khan Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career... |
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| Top 12 | Songs of Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... |
"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" was a hit single from Stevie Wonder's 1973 album Innervisions, which reached #16 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #2 on the R&B chart... " |
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... |
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| Top 11 | Hits of the 1950s | "I Don't Hurt Anymore I Don't Hurt Anymore "I Don't Hurt Anymore" is a 1954 song by Hank Snow. It was written by Don Robertson and Jack Rollins. The song was Hank Snow's fourth number one on the country chart where it spent twenty weeks at the top spot and a total of forty-one weeks on the chart.... " |
Dinah Washington Dinah Washington Dinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones , was an American blues, R&B and jazz singer. She has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s", and called "The Queen of the Blues"... |
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| Top 10 | 21st Century Hits | "Shackles (Praise You) Shackles (Praise You) "Shackles " is the debut single by singer-songwriter duo Mary Mary. It was first released in 2000 and has since been dubbed the signature Mary Mary song as it ultimately raised the profile of the duo in the gospel music industry... " |
Mary Mary Mary Mary Mary Mary is an American gospel music duo, consisting of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Tina Atkins-Campbell . The duo are often credited along with Kirk Franklin for broadening the fan base of urban contemporary gospel in the 2000s by introducing elements of soul music, hip hop, funk and jazz... |
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| Top 9 | Country Music | "Any Man of Mine Any Man of Mine "Any Man of Mine" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by Canadian country music artist Shania Twain. It was released in April 1995 as the second single from her 1995 album The Woman in Me. The song was written by Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Twain... " |
Shania Twain Shania Twain Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million... |
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Music career
On July 27, 2007—after being eliminated from American Idol—Mandisa performed the song "I Don't Hurt Anymore" on the TV talk show, Live with Regis and KellyLive with Regis and Kelly
Live! with Kelly is a syndicated American television morning talk show, hosted by Kelly Ripa. The show has aired since 1983 in New York City and 1988 nationwide. Tony Pigg has been the show's announcer since its inception...
. She also joined Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
and others at the Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
for the benefit concert "Back to Harlem," to raise money for various charities.
Mandisa collaborated with tobyMac
TobyMac
Toby McKeehan , better known by his stage name TobyMac , is a Christian recording artist, music producer, hip-hop/pop artist, singer-songwriter, and author....
and Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
on tobyMac's album, Portable Sounds
Portable Sounds
Portable Sounds is the third full-length studio album from Christian pop rock and hip hop artist tobyMac. It was released on February 20, 2007, and debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200. The album features the singles "Lose My Soul", "Made to Love", "Boomin'", "I'm for You", and "One World "...
.
True Beauty
Mandisa's first full-length album True Beauty was released on July 31, 2007. The album debuted at number one on the Top Christian Albums charts, making it the first time a new female artist has debuted at number one in the charts 27 year history. It also debuted at number 43 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, an unusually high debut on that chart for a Christian artist. It also garnered a Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
The Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album was awarded from 1991 to 2011. From 1991 to 1993 it was awarded as Best Pop Gospel Album.The award will be discontinued from 2012 in a major overhaul of Grammy categories...
nomination. Showcasing Mandisa’s stylistic range was the task set before the five sets of producers who lined up to work with her on the album: Shaun Shankel
Shaun Shankel
Shaun Shankel is an American Grammy nominated, Dove Award songwriter and record producer, who has written and produced for some of the biggest selling artists in the Christian and pop music markets, selling over seven million albums and singles...
, Brown Bannister
Brown Bannister
Brown Bannister is a CCM producer and songwriter. Bannister released one album of his own, Talk to One Another, in 1981 on NewPax Records. It was reissued on the Reunion Records Label five years later, featuring a newer recording of the album's final cut, "Create In Me A Clean Heart"...
, Christopher Stevens
Christopher Stevens
Christopher Stevens is an American Grammy-nominated Nashville, Tennessee record producer, mix-engineer, and songwriter. His most notable achievements to date include production and mixing for Grammy-winning CCM artist TobyMac, production, programming, and mixing for country artists Blake Shelton,...
, Drew Ramsey & Shannon Sanders, and Robert Marvin & Josiah Bell. Mandisa also spent personal time with the album’s writers before the songwriting process began, sharing her vision for the project and what she hoped to communicate through the songs. The end result is a seamless flow of tracks that create a diverse landscape for messages of hope, inspiration and faith.
Her first single, "Only the World
Only the World
"Only the World" is the debut single from American Idol finalist, Mandisa, from her True Beauty album.It has given the artist her first number one on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart. It stayed on the chart for 49 weeks.-Charts:...
," was released on May 22, 2007. The song had a successful debut on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Singles Sales chart, which tracks commercial single sales, debuting at number two and reached number one the following week. It is also getting major airplay on Christian radio stations. It was written by Matthew West, Sam Mizell and Clint Lagerberg. (West also co-wrote two other songs on album.)
Mandisa's cover of "Shackles" features a horn section provided by LiveHorns.com with Tommy Vaughan on trumpet, Rodney Mills on trombone, and Shane Philen on sax. They also appear on Mandisa's performance of "The Right Thing" on the VeggieTales
VeggieTales
VeggieTales is an American series of children's computer animated films featuring anthropomorphic vegetables in stories conveying moral themes based on Christianity...
soundtrack for The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
"The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" is a single released by Christian rock band Relient K. It is a cover of a song originally performed by the cast of VeggieTales. It was later included in the 2003 compilation album Veggie Rocks!...
.
The second single "God Speaking" was released to Christian radio in October 2007. A third single, "Voice of a Savior," written by West, was serviced to Inspo radio in mid-2008, where it peaked in the Top 5 of Radio and Records' Soft AC/Inspo chart.
Christmas
In November 2007, Mandisa released a holiday EP, Christmas Joy EP, which features the song "Christmas Makes Me CryChristmas Makes Me Cry
"Christmas Makes Me Cry" is the third single from Christian singer, Mandisa. The single comes from her 2007 Christmas EP, Christmas Joy, and was released on November 6, 2007. It features Christian singer and producer, Matthew West. The song was re-released a year later as the first single from...
", a duet with frequent collaborator Matthew West
Matthew West
On July 26, 2002, only a week or two before signing a record contract with Universal South Records, West had an injury to his left arm which threatened his musical career and guitar playing. He says, "I locked myself out of my house. But I'd done that before, and I had a way of breaking in through...
. Earlier that year, Mandisa also recorded "Christmas Day," a duet with Michael W. Smith
Michael W. Smith
Michael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
. The EP peaked at number two on Billboard's Hot Christian AC chart, stopped from reaching number one by her duet with Smith,"Christmas Day." It was the first time in the history of the Christian singles chart that a solo female artist was featured on the top two singles at the same time.
On October 14, 2008, Mandisa released a full-length Christmas album, It's Christmas. All songs from the Christmas Joy EP were featured on It's Christmas, as well as several new tracks.
Freedom
FreedomFreedom (Mandisa album)
Freedom is the second studio album by American Idol contestant Mandisa. The album was released on March 24, 2009.The first single, "My Deliverer", was released on January 27, 2009...
was released on March 24, 2009.
There have also been reports that Mandisa will be releasing "We Are Family
We Are Family (song)
"We Are Family" is a 1979 dance hit song by Sister Sledge, composed by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. Rodgers and Edwards offered the song to Atlantic Records; although the record label initially declined, the track was released as a single from the album of the same name and quickly began to...
" which is a Bonus Track on Napster
Napster
Napster is an online music store and a Best Buy company. It was originally founded as a pioneering peer-to-peer file sharing Internet service that emphasized sharing audio files that were typically digitally encoded music as MP3 format files...
on April 14, 2009. The song was available for a short time on Amazon.com added to Freedom
Freedom (Mandisa album)
Freedom is the second studio album by American Idol contestant Mandisa. The album was released on March 24, 2009.The first single, "My Deliverer", was released on January 27, 2009...
labeled as "Freedom + Bonus Track."
What If We Were Real
What If We Were RealWhat If We Were Real
What If We Were Real is the third studio album by CCM singer Mandisa. The album was released on April 5, 2011 on the Sparrow Record Label.-Background:Mandisa began work on the album in July 2010. She also co-wrote three songs on the album...
, was released on April 11, 2011. In March 2011 she began a tour with comedian Anita Renfroe
Anita Renfroe
Anita Renfroe is an American Christian comedian from Atlanta, Georgia, the wife of a Baptist pastor and the mother of three children...
promoting the album. The first single is entitled "Stronger". It peaked at number 1 on June 18, 2011. As of July 13, the album has sold more than 51,000 copies.
Personal life
Mandisa currently resides in the suburban NashvilleNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
community of Antioch, Tennessee
Antioch, Tennessee
Antioch is a community in southeastern Davidson County, Tennessee, that is governed by the Nashville metropolitan government. The area is assigned to postal zip code 37013.- History :...
. Since her appearance on American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
in 2006, Mandisa has made efforts toward health and weight loss
Weight loss
Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health or physical fitness, is a reduction of the total body mass, due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon and other connective tissue...
. The title of her second album, Freedom
Freedom (Mandisa album)
Freedom is the second studio album by American Idol contestant Mandisa. The album was released on March 24, 2009.The first single, "My Deliverer", was released on January 27, 2009...
, was inspired by her experience of overcoming an "addiction" to food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
. As of March 2009, she had reportedly lost 75 pounds and hoped to lose a total of 100 or more. As of February 2011, she has reached her goal and lost 100 pounds.
Awards
- 2008: Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year (for True BeautyTrue BeautyTrue Beauty is the Grammy-nominated and debut studio album by American Idol contestant Mandisa. The first single, "Only the World", was released on May 22, 2007, and the full album was released on July 31, 2007...
) – nominated - 2008: GMA Dove Award for Female Vocalist of the Year – nominated
- 2008: GMA Dove Award for New Artist of the Year – nominated
- 2009: GMA Dove Award for Female Vocalist of the Year – nominated
- 2010: Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year (for FreedomFreedom (Mandisa album)Freedom is the second studio album by American Idol contestant Mandisa. The album was released on March 24, 2009.The first single, "My Deliverer", was released on January 27, 2009...
) – nominated - 201041st GMA Dove AwardsThe 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on April 21, 2010 recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 2009. The show was held at the The Opry Entertainment Complex in Nashville, Tennessee, and was hosted by Bart Millard....
: Dove Award for Female Vocalist of the Year - nominated - 2010: Dove Award for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year, for My Deliverer - nominated
- 2010: Dove Award for Short Form Video of the Year for tobyMac's Lose My Soul - nominated
Discography
Studio albums- 2007: True Beauty
- 2009: FreedomFreedom (Mandisa album)Freedom is the second studio album by American Idol contestant Mandisa. The album was released on March 24, 2009.The first single, "My Deliverer", was released on January 27, 2009...
- 2011: What If We Were RealWhat If We Were RealWhat If We Were Real is the third studio album by CCM singer Mandisa. The album was released on April 5, 2011 on the Sparrow Record Label.-Background:Mandisa began work on the album in July 2010. She also co-wrote three songs on the album...
Other Albums
- 2007: Christmas Joy
- 2008: It's Christmas