'American Idol' Pays Tribute to Late Contestant Mandisa With Beautiful Performance

'American Idol' alums Colton Dixon, Melinda Doolittle, and Danny Gokey performed a tribute to Mandisa.

By Stephen Andrew

American Idol took time to pay tribute to late contestant Mandisa, with a beautiful performance during the show's most recent episode. On Monday, the singing competition series featured a tribute to the Season 5 alum who passed away on April 19 at the age of 47.

Idol alums Colton Dixon, Melinda Doolittle, and Danny Gokey took the show's stage on Monday, April 28 to perform "Shackles" by Mary Mary in honor of Mandisa. According to PEOPLE, Dixon shared in an Instagram Stories post that Mandisa had performed the song on American Idol when she was a contestant back in 2005. She later recorded it for her 2007 debut album, True Beauty.

"Mandisa was an adored icon on American Idol and in the music industry," an American Idol rep said in a statement to PEOPLE. "She had become a platinum-selling artist and had won several Grammys for her music. Her passing has left everyone on the show heartbroken, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family."

Mandisa was found dead in her home in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday, April 18. Her father confirmed her death to TMZ, who stated that it was "a total shock to the family." The outlet added that they were told Mandisa had "no known health issues prior to her passing, and her cause of death is not currently known."

Originally from California, Mandisa moved to Tennessee in the early 2000s for college, and eventually auditioned for American Idol in 2005. The following year, she made it to the top 9 before being eliminated. Afterward, Mandisa went on to start a career in Gospel music, working with artists like Kirk Franklin and TobyMac. In 2014 she won a Grammy for her fifth studio album, Overcomer.

The Franklin, Tennessee Police Department has stated "there is no indication" that Mandisa's "death was the result of suspicious or criminal activity." At this time authorities are awaiting autopsy and toxicology results before determining a cause of death.

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