Mandisa, a Christian singer and former *American Idol*
contestant, passed away at her Nashville home at age 47.
Her death was confirmed on Friday morning, though the cause has not yet been made public.
In her 2022 memoir, *Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy*,
Mandisa shared her struggles with mental health.
She wrote about battling depression and anxiety after the loss of a close friend to cancer,
describing this period as her “deep dark” phase.
In a 2017 interview with *People*,
Mandisa revealed how deeply her friend’s death affected her, leading her to withdraw and turn to food for comfort.
“When she died, it shook me to my core,” she said
. “I fell into a deep hole of sadness.
I went back to my old ways, which are food.”
Mandisa’s openness about her mental health journey has touched many,
and her music and message will continue to inspire her fans.
