Mandisa talks on faith, fat and fame

timesfreepress.com

By Susan Pierce
Staff Writer

Chalk up a new addition to the "famous women of one name" sorority: Cher, Madonna, Beyonce, Rihanna ... and Mandisa.

A few short weeks on Season 5 of "American Idol" was all Mandisa (full name Mandisa Hundley) needed to prove she had a voice with star potential. Even without her booming, soulful vocals, she was unforgettable by reason of being the first woman to get a public apology from cynical judge Simon Cowell.

Mandisa just became a Grammy nominee for her first CD, "True Beauty," which was recognized in the pop/contemporary gospel category. The Nashville resident said in a phone interview that she'll be on tour in Mississippi the night of the awards and unable to attend.

"I'm still expecting them to call me up and say, 'Oops, our bad,' " she joked. "Until then, I'm living in a state of disbelief."

She is the author of "IdolEyes," her life story, subtitled "My new perspective on faith, fat and fame." A self-proclaimed reality-TV junkie, she gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at what went on during "AI" in her book.

Winter Jam, hosted by NewSong, is Christian music's largest annual tour. Grossing more than $2.5 million, the 2007 Winter Jam ranked in Pollstar's Top 10 winter tours, surpassing rock superstars Nickelback and John Mayer.

Q&A with Mandisa

Q: Do you find it ironic that you and Chris Daughtry, the big surprises of Season 5 when you were voted off early, are Grammy nominees and Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee have faded into oblivion?

A: Isn't God amazing? It shows you don't have to win "American Idol" to be successful. The fact that Chris and I are nominees proves you never know what's going to happen. For any musician, this is the ultimate honor, the award you want to get.

Q: You're nominated with Michael W. Smith, TobyMac, Casting Crowns. Isn't TobyMac on your CD?

A: Yes, I'm friends with TobyMac. I have every CD that is nominated (in her category), and I love them all. I just recorded a duet with Michael W. Smith. They are all such great people.

Q: I've read that you sat down with songwriters involved in your CD and told them what you wanted your CD to convey. What was that message?

A: I did. I had a list of things I wanted to talk about. I knew I wanted a song especially for young girls that talked about beauty, that it's not what society tells us it is, that we should spend more time cultivating what's on the inside. (She co-wrote that message on the title track "True Beauty.")

I also wanted songs about the fact nothing can take away the joy we have. That happiness is based on circumstances, but our true joy is based on the Lord.

Q: Tell me about your book.

A: It's about the lessons I've learned on faith, fat and fame.

So many of us struggle with weight. I've learned it's not about diets, it's a day-by-day, moment-by-moment process of watching what I eat.

A lot of people aspire for fame, but there are some downsides to it. Fame is not about the number of people who know your name or your chart position but living your life knowing that one day we're not going to be here. When I get to the end of my life, I'm not going to be bragging about my Grammy nomination or my CD. I want to be surrounded by friends and family, look into the face of my Savior and know I'm coming home with no regrets whatever.

E-mail Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com