Exactly five years to the day she got booted off of American Idol‘s Top 9, former Idol hopeful Mandisa is releasing her third studio album, What If We Were Real. Mandisa was at The Grove Tuesday to promote her new album on Extra and to sing the title cut live – you can catch her performance video below.

Mandisa’s first album True Beauty debuted at #1 on the Top Christian Albums charts, making it the first time a new female artist has debuted at #1 in the chart’s 27-year history. So there is plenty of expectation that this album will also do well.

If you see Mandisa now, chances are, you will not recognize her from her Idol days. The girl with the powerful soulful voice has lost an incredible 120 pounds since Simon Cowell said about her, “We are going to have a bigger stage this year.” Simon was relentless on Mandisa’s weight until she stood up for herself and told Simon: “What I want to say to you is that, yes, you hurt me and I cried and it was painful, it really was. But I want you to know that I’ve forgiven you and that you don’t need someone to apologize in order to forgive somebody. I figure that if Jesus could die so that all of my wrongs could be forgiven, I can certainly extend that same grace to you.” Simon told Mandisa that he was “humbled” and apologized to her immediately.

Mandisa told Extra host Mario Lopez that she lost the weight through exercising, eating right and having a healthy mind.  She told Mario that she is in a happy place. Mario asked her if she has a man in her life and she said no. And a puzzled Mario said, “But you said you were in a happy place!?” Mandisa laughed and said, “I am, but that doesn’t mean a man has to be in it!”

You go girl! Watch for the full interview coming up soon on Extra.

In the meantime, enjoy these pics and Mandisa‘s live performance:

It was HOT in LA…Mandisa came prepared with her own pocket fan!

Mandisa brought plenty of her CDs to share with the fans…