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May 10, 2007
She's coming home
 I spoke with Mandisa (shown left) on Wednesday, and she was soooo excited about coming back to her hometown of Sacramento (she gets in tonight) that she was actually gushing over the phone.
Mandisa, an "American Idol" Season 5 finalist, has been here, there - and everywhere. She's singing, modeling, promoting all her upcoming stuff, i.e., a new book and her debut CD, "True Beauty," set to hit stores July 31. Still, she's just as nice and down to earth as ever.
"It's been a whirlwind," Mandisa acknowledges. "I've been up at the crack of dawn, flying to different cities, getting home at midnight."
Locally, she'll be live on the air from 8 to 9 a.m. Friday on The Fish (103.9 FM). And, of course, she'll be having dinner with her mother and brother before heading back to Nashville, where she now lives.
Here's some more of what she had to say:
Q: I heard you perform "True Beauty" on the "American Idol Extra" show. What was your inspiration for that song, and how did the album come together for you?
A: The song has a strong message for me. It's about not having to fit into a cookie-cutter mold when it comes to your appearance and who you are. It's about my struggle with weight. How our bodies are our temples. I want the world to know beauty doesn't come from the outside.
I wrote some of the album's material along with other contemporary Christian artists. In fact, Matthew West wrote a third of the songs. We would have songwriters' meetings, and I talked about the issues I was passionate about. The album sounds like it came straight from me.
Q: Do people tell you you're beautiful?
A: It's funny because when people tell me that, it's like the Lord shining out. I've been blessed with certain physical attributes. Every girl likes to be told they're beautiful.
Q: Your book, "Idoleyes," is already on Amazon.com. What's it about, and was it hard to write?
A: It's a memoir of my experiences on the show. The subtitle is "My New Perspective on Faith, Fat and Fame." Everybody knows I'm vocal about my faith. And about being who you are. I caused a lot of controversy (while on the show), but it worked out. My weight was in the forefront from the audition process. There are details about what happens behind the scenes. People see what happens on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. So much else is going on.
Q: Are you still a spokesmodel for Ashley Stewart clothing?
A: Yes, and I love it - and the clothes. Here's something interesting. The wardrobe guy at "American Idol" told me more clothes were sent for me than anyone else on the show. I love it because there are great companies doing plus-size clothing.
Q: I know last year you said it would be hard to top the Season 5 finalists. What do you think of this year's contestants?
A: I already knew Melinda (Doolittle). She and I used to sing backup together. We were part of a small group of people you would see over and over. When I went to one of the shows, she was excited to see me. She had called me on her way to the audition in Memphis and asked, "Is this something I should do? If you don't think so, I will turn the car around.
She's such a great performer...Melinda even texted me her numbers (No. 1 and No. 5) from Tuesday night's show. I voted for her on my layovers. As for the others, they're all excellent. I knew about Jordin (Sparks) before the show because we both know (Christian singer) Michael W. Smith. She is just a sweetheart.
Q: Do you stay in touch with your Season 5 buds?
A: Yes, I try to stay in touch. Everybody is so busy. I've kept in touch with all the girls. I'll see Lisa (Tucker) and Paris (Bennett) in June - Lisa turns 18. I see Ace (Young) a lot in L.A. Paula Abdul and I have seen each other.
Our season was so rare. Nine out of 10 of us have record deals, and every CD has done well. I have all of them. I was listening to Katharine (McPhee) and Paris while traveling.
Q: So that proves winning "American Idol" isn't everything. Right?
A: I always say this. It's about your individuality coming out. How you carry yourself on the show. There's a life you want to have afterward. If America knows the music you'll make, they'll wait for you.
Q: Now that you're so famous, are you constantly being coifed and made up?
A: My hair changes every day! They wanted to talk about my clothing options for the Dove Awards, and I said, "We don't need to have a meeting about what I'm going to wear!"
Posted by Leigh Grogan at May 10, 2007 04:18 PM
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