As Christian recording artist Mandisa performs concerts around the country, she desires to equip audiences with messages about Christ’s redeeming love, forgiveness and grace.
By sharing songs and stories of personal struggles, Mandisa hopes to encourage others while connecting them to the gospel.
In 2006, during her audition for season five of the popular reality TV show “American Idol,” Mandisa suffered public ridicule and humiliation after overhearing judge Simon Cowell making inappropriate comments about her weight. However, instead of letting emotions get the best of her, Mandisa graciously responded to Cowell with a message of faith and forgiveness.
“What I want to say to you is that, yes, you hurt me,” Mandisa said. “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, then I can certainly extend that same grace to you.”
Cowell humbly apologized for his remarks and showed great respect for Mandisa’s performances throughout the season.
Following an impressive top 10 finish on “American Idol,” Mandisa boldly entered the Christian music scene in 2007 with the release of her debut album “True Beauty” and embarked on a busy touring schedule.
“The songwriting process is fueled by what I have been experiencing in each season of life,” Mandisa said. “The themes on my albums are pretty unique because of the different stages of life and seasons that I have been walking through.”
The songs on her newest album “Overcomer” are designed to provide hope and healing in the midst of dark times by reminding people that a relationship with Christ offers hope, inspiration and the ability to live victoriously.
“The title track is based on my story of battling and overcoming food addiction,” Mandisa explained. “I’ve lost over 100 pounds, and I’m still working to lose more weight. I am an overcomer, not because I’m at my goal weight, but it’s through the power of Jesus that gives me the strength to keep fighting this battle daily. I love knowing that I don’t have to depend on my own power for strength and encouragement to keep pressing on, but it’s through His power. I started writing this song about my own personal story and struggles. Then as I was walking through situations with friends who were also overcoming battles, it was such an inspiration to hear about God working in their lives and using these situations for His glory.
“The message I want people to take away from the album is that if they have asked Jesus to be their Lord and Savior, the Bible says they are an overcomer,” she said. “I love to share Scriptures during concerts because I think the Word of God is so powerful. John 16:33 is where Jesus says we can have peace because He’s already overcome the world. In 1 John 4:4, it says if we have Jesus in our hearts, that the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world and that we are overcomers by that alone. We are also told in 1 John 5:4–5 that if we have Jesus as our Savior that we have overcome the world. I feel like all of these songs are steeped in the Word of God and believe that they are aligned with truth.
“I can attest to this, because I have experienced it in my own life,” Mandisa said. “My hope is that as people listen to the song ‘Overcomer’ that they will begin to respond to the message behind the music, and that it will cause them to walk through their situations in life by having faith, by believing in God’s power and walking in the authority that they already have through a relationship with Christ.”
Mandisa’s message and music are being well received. Earlier in 2014, she garnered two Grammy Awards for “Best Contemporary Christian Music Album” and “Best Contemporary Christian Song.” The accolades haven’t changed her mission.
“I am so appreciative when my songs do well, having success on the charts and receiving award nominations, but I cannot define myself by those things,” she said. “I realize there’s going to come a day when those things are not happening in my life, but that will not mean that I won’t effectively be doing what God has called me to do. I try to look at success as whether or not I am having an impact on people’s lives. Revelation 12:11 says that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. When I take the stage, I realize it’s not through anything I could do on my own. It’s through the Holy Spirit at work through these songs and softening hearts.
“So many people have come up to me after a concert and are in tears because they felt like God spoke to them through something I sang or said,” Mandisa noted. “I love when people share their testimonies, and what inspires me the most is hearing that someone gave their life to Jesus as a result of a certain song. That is the biggest honor of my life. When I get to heaven, God isn’t going to talk to me about the number of albums sold. My prayer is that God will say that He used me to change people’s lives.”
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