Target of Simon Cowell jibes Mandisa becomes recording star

A STANDOUT contestant of the US TV talent search American Idol, Mandisa will have her debut album released by EMI Sparrow in May while in June Tyndale House will publish a book by the singer. Mandisa's album will be produced by, among others, Shaun Shankel (Destiny's Child, Kimberly Locke) and Doubledutch (Toby Mac, Matt Redman). In her upcoming book, IdolEyes, co-authored with Angela Hunt, Mandisa gives an in-depth view of her appearances on the TV show and her life-long battle with food addiction, Mandisa shows how it has affected her personally, and how the now famous, derogatory remarks made by judge Simon Cowell on live television have provided her with the opportunity to become a positive role model for millions of women who are struggling to live up to popular culture's image of the "ideal woman". Said Mandisa, "I am a living witness that God can do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be a recording artist, an author and a model! I am so thankful for my experience on Idol, both the good and the hard times. Because of it, I am living my dream. As a child I could always be found either singing in the bathroom with my curling iron as a microphone or sitting at my desk writing the most elaborate stories my imagination could muster." Mandisa recently contributed vocals on the soon to be released album 'Portable Sounds' by CCM star Toby Mac.