American Idol alum Mandisa has died at 47. The Christian singer was found dead in her Nashville home on Thursday, the artist’s rep said in a statement posted on Mandisa’s verified Instagram account. The cause of death is unknown, the rep said, declining to share further details.
“We ask for your prayers for her family and close-knit circle of friends during this incredibly difficult time,” the rep added. “Mandisa was a voice of encouragement and truth to people facing life’s challenges all around the world.”
The Hollywood Reporter has also reached out to her rep for comment.
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Fellow Christian singer Natalie Grant paid tribute to her late friend on social media. “I can’t quite find the words. When I learned of your passing yesterday, I begged God for it not to be true. I remember making our Opry debut together. We were so excited. But I remember our conversation so vividly. You belonged there. You always belonged, Disa,” she wrote.
Grant expressed being thankful for Mandisa’s “music, your honesty and testimony that helped thousands upon thousands of people find the hope of Jesus.”
David Pierce, the chief media officer of Christian radio station KLOVE, also shared a tribute on Instagram. “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,” he wrote in a post shared on KLOVE’s official social media page.
Pierce continued, “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 in 2005, making it to the top nine in the singing competition. She found success after Idol, winning the Grammy for best contemporary Christian music album in 2014. The singer released her final studio album, Out of the Dark, in May 2017.
