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True Beauty (album)

True Beauty is the Grammy-nominated and debut studio album by American Idol contestant Mandisa. The first single, "Only the World", was released on May 22, 2007, and the full album was released on July 31, 2007. The album covers a remake of gospel duo Mary Mary's hit song "Shackles (Praise You)" (which Mandisa covered on American Idol in the top 11).

True Beauty

July 31, 2007 (2007-07-31)

2006-2007

Subsequent singles included "God Speaking" and "Voice of a Savior", released to Christian radio in October 2007 and April 2008, respectively.

Commercial performance[edit]

The album debuted at number one on the Christian albums chart and number 43 on the Billboard 200 with over 17,000 copies sold in its first week. It broke the Billboard chart record for a female debut in Christian music and is the largest female debut in the history of her label (EMI/Sparrow Records). True Beauty has sold over 219,000 copies as of December 2010.[1] The album spent over a year on Billboard's Christian Albums and Christian and Gospel Albums charts.

Awards and nominations[edit]

True Beauty received a Grammy Award nomination in December 2007 for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.

Mandisa – lead vocals, backing vocals (1-3, 5, 7-10)

– programming (1, 10)

Shaun Shankel

Sam Mizell – programming (1, 10), keyboard programming (3), drum programming (3), backing vocals (4)

– keyboards (2, 9), programming (9)

Shannon Sanders

Blair Masters – keyboards (3, 6, 11), acoustic piano (6, 11)

Jamie Kenney – keyboards (4, 8), programming (4, 8)

Josiah Bell – programming (4, 5), additional programming (8)

Robert Marvin – programming (4, 5), additional programming (8)

Jamie Moore – programming (5), bass (5)

– keyboards (7), programming (7), guitars (7), bass (7), drums (7), horn arrangements (7)

Christopher Stevens

Greg Hagan – acoustic guitar (1), electric guitar (1), guitars (10)

Mike Payne – electric guitar (1)

– guitars (2, 9), bass (2, 9), programming (9), backing vocals (9)

Drew Ramsey

– acoustic guitar (3, 6)

Scott Denté

– guitars (4)

Lynn Nichols

– guitars (5)

Cary Barlowe

Tim Roseneu – guitars (5)

Jerry McPherson – electric guitar (6)

Akil Thompson – bass (1, 8, 10), guitars (8)

Tony Lucido – bass (4, 8)

Todde Lawton – bass (5)

Matt Pierson – bass (6)

Dan Needham – drums (1-3, 6, 9, 10)

Lemar Carter – drums (4)

Brian Haley – drums (5)

Ben Phillips – drums (8)

David Davidson – strings (1)

Carl Marsh – string arrangements (3)

Prague Orchestra – strings (3)

– cuts (5)

DJ Maj

Shane Philen – saxophones (7), horn arrangements (7)

Rodney J. Mills – trombone (7)

Tommy Vaughan – trumpet (7), horn arrangements (7)

John Catchings – cello (11)

Missi Hale – backing vocals (1, 6, 10)

– backing vocals (2, 9)

Cindy Morgan

Debreca Smith – backing vocals (2, 9)

Peter Penrose – backing vocals (4)

– rap (5)

TobyMac

– backing vocals (5-7)

Nirva Dorsaint-Ready

Gabriel Patillo – backing vocals (5)

– backing vocals (5)

Shonlock

Drew Cline – backing vocals (6)

Kimberly Mont – backing vocals (6)

Calvin Nowell – backing vocals (6)

Debi Selby – backing vocals (6)

Michelle Swift – backing vocals (6)

Chance Scoggins – BGV arrangements (6)

Jason Eskridge – backing vocals (7)

The Fisk Jubilee Singers – backing vocals (9)

Paul Kwami – vocal leader (9)

Technical


Additional credits