‘American Idol’ pays tribute to late Grammy-successful former contestant Mandisa

“American Idol” paid out tribute to former contestant Mandisa on Monday.

Previous “Idol” contestants Melinda Doolittle, Colton Dixon and Danny Gokey performed a go over of “Shackles (Praise You)” by gospel duo Mary Mary. Mandisa memorably performed the tune on Season 5 of the show and afterwards bundled it on her CDs “Overcomer: The Greatest Hits” and “Get Up: The Remixes.”

“Mandisa’s joyful spirit carried over into her Grammy-winning gospel audio and commitment to her faith,” “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest said as he launched the effectiveness.

Her fellow musicians, all dressed in white, sang Mandisa’s praises following the functionality.

“I’ve acknowledged her for about 20 a long time,” Doolittle said, visibly psychological as she talked to Seacrest. “We began off singing background in periods jointly and then she received on ‘Idol’ and I cheered for her. Then I arrived the subsequent season and she cheered for me. So that is my woman, by way of and by means of.”

Dixon mentioned that “Shackles (Praise You)” “sums up [Mandisa’s] lifestyle.”

“I consider she came in praising, I consider she remaining praising,” he told the audience. “We’re gonna miss her, but our loss is heaven’s acquire.”

The gospel singer was discovered dead in her Nashville dwelling before this month. However no trigger of loss of life has been unveiled, police introduced that they found no signals of foul play. She was 47.

“Mandisa was an adored icon on American Idol and in the new music field,” the assertion from the clearly show browse following her death. “Her passing has still left everybody on the show heartbroken, and we increase our deepest condolences to her loved ones.”

A agent confirmed to The Occasions on April 19 that the California-born artist “was observed in her residence [in Tennessee] deceased.”

“At this time, we do not know the trigger of death or any further more aspects,” the agent stated in a statement.

“We inquire for your prayers for her relatives and near-knit circle of mates for the duration of this extremely complicated time,” go through a put up on the singer’s formal Instagram account.

“Mandisa was a voice of encouragement and real truth to people experiencing life’s difficulties all all around the environment.”

The singer, whose full identify is Mandisa Lynn Hundley, was lifted in Sacramento and labored as a backup singer for artists which includes Shania Twain, Sandi Patty and Trisha Yearwood prior to she auditioned for the fact levels of competition display. She built it to the leading 10 in the 2006 season in advance of her elimination and moved on to pursue her audio occupation.

In 2007 Mandisa unveiled her debut album, “True Splendor,” which earned her the initially of her five Grammy nominations. Her fifth album, “Overcomers,” won the Grammy for present-day Christian audio album in 2014.

The acclaimed singer was also an author, releasing “Out of the Darkish: My Journey Via the Shadows to Locate God’s Pleasure,” a memoir documenting her struggles with her religion and psychological health next the decline of her “dearest friend.”

“Mandisa withdrew, wrestled with God and fell into a deep melancholy,” her web page reads.

Like her uplifting tunes, the purpose of her novel was to encourage hope and joy.

“I want to motivate the men and women who could have a beloved 1 who is maybe in the center of a mental wellness challenge,” she instructed WayFM Radio in 2022. “Don’t think that even if your messages are not becoming responded to that they really don’t hear them.”