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.
Media Collective, which represents Hundley, confirmed his death and said in a statement that the cause of death was unknown.
Hundley, who performs and produces Christian-themed music, was a fan favorite on “American Idol” in 2006, but was eliminated as the fourth of 12 finalists.
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, starting with “True Beauty,” which she released in 2007. Her Grammy Award-winning 2013 album “Overcomer” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart. This was her first Grammy win after her previous three nominations.
Mandisa Lynn Hundley was born on October 2, 1976 in Sacramento to John Hundley and Ruby Berryman. Her mother worked for the state. 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 served as a backing vocalist for Trisha Yearwood and Shania Twain.
She is survived by her parents and a brother, John Hundley.
She spoke about her battle with depression in her 2017 album Out of the Dark, which she also wrote about in her 2022 memoir of the same name.
“My dream is that this book will be in living rooms and coffee shops around the world, becoming a tool to encourage discussion about our mental health,” she said.
Emmett Lindner Contributed to the report.
