Mandisa: Getting Real About Losing Weight

The Wake-Up Call

During my audition, [former American Idol judge Simon Cowell] was great to my face. I left the room feeling like, 'Simon really likes me.' It wasn't until I watched the premiere episode several months later that I learned he said, "Do we have a bigger stage this year?" When I saw him, later I told him I forgave him. If I didn't forgive him, I would have held on to that. I would have been bitter. I forgave Simon more for me than it was for him.

I will say that it was a wake-up call and that set me out there publically about my weight. I've lost almost 120 pounds since then. When I look back now, I'm very thankful that happened. There's so many people who battle this as well. They've seen me at my highest weight and now at my lowest and everything in between. It shows them that if I can do it they can do it too.

What If We Were Real

This album is called What If We Were Real. With this one, I can say that I've taken the mask off. I'm not just talking about the good things that are happening in my life. I'm sharing the hard stuff too. People appreciate it when they know they're not alone, that they're not the only ones walking through difficult times. The title track is all about what if I don't feel like smiling or sometimes I just want to scream. It's okay to do that...

If we were real and took the masks off, we would reflect what God wants us to be. When non-Christians look at us, instead of seeing masks and hypocrites, I think they'd see, 'They're just like I am.' They'd take their eyes off us and put them on Jesus. We can do a disservice when we pretend like our life is so great and we have it all together. If we could be real with each other and honest, people would be more attracted to what Christianity is all about.

Check out What If We Were Real