BREAKING NEWS! ‘American Idol’ Alum, Christian singer Mandisa found dead at 47. What we know
An investigation is underway after “American Idol” alumna and Christian singer Mandisa, who lived in the Nashville metro area, was found dead Thursday, officials said. She was 47.
A spokesman for the Franklin Police Department in Tennessee said officers were involved in an active death investigation Friday, but the department declined to confirm if the deceased is Mandisa, but the address of the home where the investigation is taking place has been tied to the singer via a records search.
A representative for her talent company, The Media Collective, also issued a statement confirming her death Friday.
Here is what we know about Mandisa:
Who was Mandisa?
Mandisa was a Christian singer who competed on “American Idol” in 2005 in Chicago and finished in the final nine.
Hundley released her first album, “True Beauty” in July 2007, debuting on the Top Christian Album charts with her first single, “Only the World.”
She also won Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for “Overcomer” at the 56th Grammy Awards in 2014.
Where was Mandisa from?
Mandisa was born in Citrus Heights, California as Mandisa Lynn Hundley.
After growing up in California, Hundley attended Fisk University in Nashville and was a member of the famed Fisk University Jubilee singers. She graduated from Fisk in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in music, according to the university.
What is Mandisa’s cause of death?
The singer’s cause of death has not yet been confirmed, according to a statement from The Media Collective.
“At this time, we do not know the cause of death or any further details,” the statement reads. “We ask for your prayers for her family and close-knit circle of friends during this incredibly difficult time.”