I talk with Mandisa!

She's rooting for Danny!

I had the privilege today of interviewing one of the loveliest, most talented and most gracious ladies ever to come out of American Idol...Mandisa!

Mandisa was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season of American Idol, the one that was eventually won by Taylor Hicks.

But being ninth-place hasn't hampered Mandisa's success in the Christian music field. Her first album, "True Beauty," debuted at #1 on the Top Christian Albums charts, making it the first time a new female artist has debuted at #1 in the charts 27 year history. It also debuted at #43 on the Billboard 200, an unusually high debut on that chart for a Christian artist.(from Wikipedia)

Her sophomore album, "Freedom," is the follow-up to "True Beauty."

She likes Danny!

Mandisa confirmed to me that she is following this season's American Idol, and that Danny Gokey is her favorite. Listen here.

She's lost 75 pounds...

When Mandisa first entered the American Idol competition, she endured snide comments--from Simon Cowell in particular--about her weight. She has since lost some 75 pounds, and hopes to lose a total of 100. Mandisa tells me she has accomplished this by changing her attitude about food with the help of the Lord.

I asked Mandisa about her weight loss here.

Although Mandisa hasn't been asked to sing on Idol this season, she tells me she'll be in the audience in a couple of weeks, and then she plans to be back for the finale.

You can listen to the entire interview here.