American Idol contestant, Mandisa, who went on to win a Grammy Award, sadly died almost two months ago. Her cause of death has now been confirmed following an official autopsy report.
Mandisa starred on season 5 of American Idol. It didn’t matter that she never won because she went on to become an incredibly successful singer. Her passing now leaves behind a hole in the hearts of many fans.
Mandisa died of weight complications
Mandisa died of weight complications, according to an autopsy report. She weighed 488lbs at the time of her death, and died of class III obesity – when an individual has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher.
After the loss of a close friend to breast cancer in 2014, Mandisa gained back much of the weight she had originally lost, as well as experiencing depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide.
The loss of her friend led to her to believe she felt betrayed by God, and she retreated from the public, reports say. When God did not heal her friend’s cancer, she sank into a pit of despair. Then on April 18, 2024, a close friend discovered her body in her Nashville home.
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She spent years helping anxious fans
The title of her second album, Freedom, was inspired by her experience of overcoming what she said was an addiction to food. As of March 2009, it was reported that she lost 75 pounds.
By February 2011, she reached her goal of losing 100 pounds. Although she ended up putting the weight back on, she dedicated years to helping others with anxiety, and was open about her journey.
In May 2017, Mandisa returned to the public eye. Speaking about her struggle with depression, she appeared on podcasts and released Out of the Dark in 2017, the first album she’d recorded in three years.
Her success after American Idol
American Idol was just the start of Mandisa’s successful singing career. She may have finished in ninth place, but her album, Overcomer, won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album.
Mandisa’s first full-length album, True Beauty, debuted at No. 1 on the Top Christian Albums charts, making it the first time a new female artist has debuted in that spot in the chart’s 27-year history.
She later won the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for Overcomer at the 56th Grammy Awards in 2014, but declined to attend them. Then in 2020, a compilation of her best songs were released.
If you are affected by any issues raised in the article or would like someone to speak to, please call the Samaritans for free on 116 123. You can also email them at jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch in the UK. In the US, please visit Samaritans USA for more information.
You can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text 741741 to get in touch with the Crisis Text Line. Americans can call or text 988 to reach out and speak to a counselor.
If you or someone you know needs support, there are many eating disorder helplines in the UK here to help. Beat can be contacted at 0808 801 0677 while Mind’s contact number is 0300 123 3393.If you are based in the USA, you can call NEDA on (800) 931-2237.
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