Mandisa, a 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 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.