Mandisa Lynn Hundley, most commonly known simply as Mandisa (born October 2, 1976[1]) is an American singer and was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season of American Idol.
Biography
Mandisa grew up in Citrus Heights, California (Sacramento County) and graduated from El Camino Fundamental High School. She then attended Fisk University in Tennessee and graduated with a bachelor's of music degree with a concentration in vocal performance. Mandisa currently resides in the suburban Nashville community of Antioch, Tennessee. When she auditioned for American Idol in Chicago, she asked the judges to call her "just Mandisa", and she has been billed as Mandisa (with no last name) on the show since the show's Hollywood round. Mandisa was a backup singer for famed Christian author and speaker Beth Moore.
Idol judge Simon Cowell made several comments about her weight during her audition. When he first saw her, he asked if they were "going to have a bigger stage this year." Later, 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.
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 Idol's fifth season.
Homosexuality Controversy
On March 28, she preceded her performance of Mary Mary's “Shackles (Praise You)” with this statement: "This song goes out to everybody that wants to be free. Your addiction, lifestyle, or situation may be big, but God is bigger." In a later interview with MTV, Mandisa responded to speculation as to whether "lifestyle" was code for "homosexuality", saying it "broke my heart because I really do try to live my life according to the value system that you treat others the way you want to be treated. I absolutely hate nobody" and added that by "lifestyle", she was referring to how she has given in to "every food indulgence [she] ever had." However, in an interview with The Advocate, she also stated that she would not perform at gay events due to her personal beliefs.
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.
Elimination
Her elimination from the show stirred controversy; many believed Mandisa would have made the finale. Some said it had to do with her appearance, claiming her race and weight had roles in her early elimination.[citation needed]
Others said it was because her fans believed she would garner enough votes without their individual support and chose to support another contestant (also a prime suspicion in Chris Daughtry's elimination).[verification needed]
Finally, some question the viability of allowing the public to vote due to the way the system can be gamed. VoteForTheWorst.com encouraged readers to vote for who they thought was the worst contestant, not the best. The impact which VoteForTheWorst had on the outcome is not known.
After 'Idol'
Mandisa performed the song "I Don't Hurt Anymore" at the tv talk show, Live with Regis and Kelly. Her best friend is Melynee Cyris and they scamper in the forest being prowling gumpers as said in her own soon to be published biography, "Big Girl in Sacramento". Mandisa wants all her fans to be comfortable in the skin they're in, and you can see that this BIG girl will go far.
American Idol performances
Semifinals
- February 21, 2006 - "Never" by Heart
- The judges were impressed, saying she started the show off on a great note.
- February 28, 2006 - "Cry" by Faith Hill
- The judges were very mixed, Randy and Simon were really middling about it.
- March 7, 2006 - "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan
- The judges felt she blew away the competition and was amazing.[verification needed]
Finals
- March 14, 2006 - "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" by Stevie Wonder
- The judges loved this performance.
- March 21, 2006 - "I Don't Hurt Anymore" by Dinah Washington
- She was praised by the judges. Jackson was speechless and Simon said it was sexy.
- March 28, 2006 - "Shackles (Praise You)" by Mary Mary
- She received mixed reviews. Randy thought that everything didn't go out as planned. Paula said that everyone would appear at the "church of Mandisa". Simon called it "a bit too indulgent" for his taste.[citation needed]
- April 4, 2006 - "Any Man of Mine" by Shania Twain
- The judges weren't fond of the song. Randy liked the "last 4 seconds," Simon quipped that he liked the "4 seconds after it ended." Paula agreed on the poor song choice, but said Mandisa could sing the phone book and she'd love it. Mandisa was eliminated after this performance.[citation needed]
Pop Culture References
- When The Daily Show with Jon Stewart parodied President Bush's decision-making abilities by featuring him in a superhero comic book by R. Sikoryak called "The Decider," one of his decisions in the comic book was to vote for Mandisa because "she's a sure thing."
References
- ^ "Gray-haired Hicks brings soul to Idol" by Wade Kwon for the Scripps Howard News Service, 17 March 2006. Retrieved May 25, 2006.