As another "American Idol" season hits the homestretch, last year's winner, 18-year-old Jordin Sparks, is out making the most of her victory with a debut album and 30-date tour with Alicia Keys.

The Arizona native and youngest Idol winner released her self-titled record in November and peaked at No. 10 on the charts. It includes the singles "Tattoo" and "No Air," with Jive label-mate Chris Brown.

Here are some comments from a recent teleconference:

How "Idol" changed her: "I'm still ultimately the same, but I feel a little older and stronger, which is an amazing thing, because I realize I can handle a lot more than I thought I could."

Touring with Alicia Keys: "When they told me that I was going with her, my jaw just dropped to the floor. I was like, 'Seriously? Really? Alicia Keys that has the No. 1 album in the country wants me to be out on her tour?' -- it was just amazing. I have been a fan of her music. I sang 'Fallin',' I mean, I don't know how many times, for friends and family and some competitions, so it's just crazy that everything's kind of coming full circle for me."

The sound of her record: "I'm so new to this I don't really know what I had planned. I mean, we didn't really have a specific sound we were going for. What I kind of did is, we would go through the songs, and I just picked songs that I liked, that I just thought I related to in some sort of way, and that kind of helped me, that I knew that I wouldn't mind singing in a couple of years."

Things she wished she knew about "Idol" fame: "I guess I kind of wished that somebody would've told me that I wouldn't see my family as much as I ... as much as I haven't seen them, I guess, if that makes sense at all. Because, I mean, I know I've got the break that I had, but now everything's starting back up, and I probably won't see them until, oh goodness, the fall. So, it's just, it's crazy how things work, because you never realize how much you miss them until you can't see them as much as you used to. So, I kind of wish somebody would've told me that."

On her record sales not being chart-topping: "I'm pretty sure it's just the way the industry is changing, because I know even before any of this happened, [as a fan] I just wanted the song and not so much maybe the whole album unless it was really good. So, I mean ... I'm not really sure. I'm proud of the numbers that I've sold, because I've just broken in this thing, and I'm so working on it, so I'm excited. But I mean, from five years ago, from when Kelly [Clarkson] won to now, everything has changed so much, and it's all about downloading and iTunes and singles, and so I kind of think that's what part of it is, but I'm really glad that my singles are doing well."

Her follow-up: "I'm pretty sure I really do want to be able to write some more for the next album."

Favorite CD, movie, TV, book: "Books -- I'm obsessed with 'Redeeming Love' by Francine Rivers. I have read it like 10 times, not even kidding, and it's like 500 pages long. I know that probably sounds really crazy, but I read the book, and I just get so into it, and I feel like I'm there. As far as movies go, I just saw 'Juno' and I thought that was amazing. CD -- I really love John Mayer's 'Continuum.' TV show -- OK, I'm still a kid: I love 'SpongeBob SquarePants.' Ever since it came out, it's just always made me laugh, and always put me in a good mood."

-- Scott Mervis