'AMERICAN IDOL' Future looks up for Mandisa, show

The gospel singer is planning for more than just 15 minutes of fame.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
After five seasons, "American Idol" is stronger than ever. Now the latest batch of contestants are hitting the road this summer on the "American Idols Live 2006 Tour," in what has become the obligatory swan song for many singers as they enter the last phase of their fame.
Naturally, the top 10 contestants -- Ace Young, Bucky Covington, Chris Daughtry, Elliott Yamin, Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Lisa Tucker, Mandisa, Paris Bennett and winner Taylor Hicks -- are all hoping the time spent in the limelight acts as more of a steppingstone than a defining moment. In most cases, the clock is ticking on their 15 minutes of fame with rushed record deals and late-night studio recordings.
"Some people say that and in a sense I do believe that to be true, but I'm not as concerned," said Nashville resident Mandisa, calling from Rochester, N.Y. "I feel like the door is wide open for me."
Her background
Though other American Idol contestants may possess the same confidence, Mandisa, who was voted off the show April 5, actually has a good chance at making inroads in her genre of choice -- gospel. After studying music at Fisk University in the Music City, Mandisa actually shared the stage with such artists as Shania Twain, Trisha Yearwood and Faith Hill before her "American Idol" fame. For fans of the reality television show, her decision to move into more Christian-based material shouldn't come as a surprise.
"That comes the most naturally for me," Mandisa said. "I love different kinds of music, but if I want to be true to myself, that's really what I should be doing. So I'm going to take my time and do it right because I'm not looking for 30-second fame. I want a career that's going to last for a long time. So because of that, I'm going to make sure I do it right the first time."
This season Mandisa did the seemingly impossible, actually getting an apology out of curmudgeon judge Simon Cowell, who criticized her weight. She said it's something in a long line of things she'll never forget. This includes opening every night on the "American Idols Live 2006 Tour," which plays Pittsburgh on Thursday at Mellon Arena. Among the songs she performs are "I'm Every Woman," which appears on the "American Idol Season 5: Encores" CD, as well as the Ruben Studdard-dedicated "If I Were Your Woman" and the Ace Young duet "I'm Your Angel."
What's ahead
"It's the greatest," Mandisa said. "I wouldn't want it any other way. The crowd is so hyped and anybody could walk out on that stage, and they would go wild, so I love getting up there. It's like for the rest of the night I'm on easy street. I don't have to worry about anything else. I've done my thing and I can just relax after that."
No matter what the future holds for Mandisa, she'll most likely never escape the "American Idol" tag. She said she doesn't care, the "American Idol" moniker has "proven itself to be a reputable source in bringing out quality artists."
As for the future of "American Idol," she said, "It's the greatest show in the world and I think America recognizes that. It's going to be sticking around for a long time and going to continue to get better as time goes by."