Description:

It's not surprising that Mandisa made such an impression on the millions who heard her TV performances. Music has been the backbone of her life since growing up in Sacramento, California. "I don't ever remember not singing," she says, recalling the years she spent performing in church and school choirs before heading to Nashville, Tenn., to attend Fisk University and earn a degree in vocal performance.

Her faith plays a major role in her life, a role that was evident to Mandisa's fellow 'American Idol' contestants, the judges and viewers. And even though it didn't always come with positive results, Mandisa never shied away from being true to herself.

So it's with the release of her debut album, True Beauty, that Mandisa fans will finally get what they've been waiting for: a full-length project that, to no one's surprise, packs a pretty powerful punch. A collection of funky rhythms, gospel-tinged melodies and pure pop power ballads, True Beauty reflects a versatility that few vocalists possess, and Mandisa delivers the goods with an unaffected ease.

Freedom CD

Idol Eyes

It's Christmas