Investigation underway after Christian singer, 'American Idol' alum Mandisa found dead

A spokesman for the Franklin Police Department said officers were involved in an active death investigation Friday after Christian singer and "American Idol" alum Mandisa was found dead in her Nashville-area home one day earlier.

Mandisa, born in Citrus Heights, California, as Mandisa Lynn Hundley, was 47.

A rep for the singer, The Media Collective, issued a statement confirming her death Friday morning.

"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."

Franklin police declined to confirm Hundley as the deceased in the death investigation, but the address of the home where the investigation is taking place has been tied to the singer via a records search.

"What I can confirm is that our officers responded to a residence for a death investigation Thursday evening, and it's being actively investigated," Franklin Police Department spokesperson Max Winitz wrote in an email to The Tennessean Friday.

No other details were immediately released.

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.

In 2005, Hundley auditioned for "American Idol" in Chicago, where she went on to finish in the final nine.

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Hundley released her first album, "True Beauty" in July 2007, debuting on the Top Christian Album charts with her first single, "Only the World."

The Christian artist would win best contemporary Christian Music Album for "Overcomer" at the 56th Grammy Awards in 2014.

David Pierce, chief media officer for Christian radio station KLOVE, posted this quote across the radio station’s social media platforms after hearing of the singer's death:

“Mandisa loved Jesus, and she used her unusually extensive platform to talk about Him at every turn. Her kindness was epic, her smile electric, her voice massive, but it was no match for the size of her heart. Mandisa struggled, and she was vulnerable enough to share that with us, which helped us talk about our own struggles. Mandisa’s struggles are over, she is with the God she sang about now. While we are saddened, Mandisa is home. We’re praying for Mandisa’s family and friends and ask you to join us.”

Fellow Christian singer Natalie Grant, who wrote the foreword to Mandisa's 2022 book "Out of the Dark: My journey through the shadows to find God's joy," said this on Instagram about her friend:

"I can’t quite find the words. When I learned of your passing yesterday, I begged God for it not to be true. I remember making our Opry debut together. We were so excited. But I remember our conversation so vividly. You belonged there. You always belonged, Disa. Your smile and infectious spirit lit up every room. You were a true champion of others. I was the benefactor of your encouragement more times than I can count."

Fellow musician Don Moen provided a statement to The Tennessean, saying Mandisa was not only a powerhouse of a talent, but that she also possessed a genuinely kind spirit.

"We ministered together several times, she sang background vocals on my album 'Thank You Lord' and joined me on several tours," the statement read. "On one particular tour, notes kept appearing in everyone's bunk on the bus or in their instrument cases. These were encouraging messages like: 'You are blessed and highly favored,' or 'You're such a blessing on this tour.' Only at the end of the tour did we discover it had been Mandisa. Whether behind the scenes or center stage, her presence always brought joy and hope.

We will continue to update this story as additional details become available.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Investigation underway after 'American Idol' alum Mandisa found dead