A Real American Idol

I came across this video of an American Idol audition that was quite different than most in an unexpected way. She dealt with Simon's trademark-edly cruel comments, which actually focused on her weight, in a way that "humbled" him. Kudos to Mandisa Hundley!

Click here to watch the interaction between this auditioner and Simon Cowell.

Aside from her moving speech that made an impression on Simon and the others, her performing abilities have evidently impressed as well. She remains among the finalists, and a glowing review says this about her:

Mandisa was in a class of her own, singing “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan. Simon described it as the only performance he would rewind on TiVo, and it was the best combination of vocals and performing among the women in the competition thus far.

The 29-year-old is the oldest woman in the competition, and surrounded by rivals much younger than she is. If Kinnik Sky is voted off this week, the next-oldest woman in the field will be 21. One benefit to that is that Mandisa tends to stand out; she’s not the teenager trying to be young and hip, she’s the veteran with the musical chops to take over a stage. She did that to perfection on Tuesday (3/7/06).