Before the movie, back when she was fresh off American Idol and getting her solo career off the ground, I interviewed the sweet and personable new winner, Jordin Sparks (2007): even then, I could tell she was sweet, well-grounded and had the potential to hit the stratosphere. So proud of her and I hope that Sparkle is the start of bigger, better things, get it Sister!!!

Jordin Sparks, winner of this year’s American Idol vocal competition, made her way on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart with a pair of ballads, “This Is My Now” and “Tattoo,” but if art imitated life, she’d be singing a remake of Michael Jackson’s “Working Day and Night.”

“Oh, my God, you have no idea,” the 17-year-old groans at the start of a recent phone chat from New York City. “A friend just asked me where I was going, and I swear, I drew a complete blank and didn’t even remember! I’ve just been running so much!”
Not that she’s ungrateful. The Glendale, Ariz., native is positively bubbly when she describes the whirlwind that’s been 2007. Aside from winning the car, the recording contract and the cash (“I haven’t had a chance to spend any of it; I haven’t been home”), Ms. Sparks completed photo shoots, handled endless press interviews and still managed to squeeze in recording sessions to complete her self-titled major-label debut while on the road with the other top AI finalists last summer during the American Idols Live tour.

As she awaited today’s official release of the CD, Ms. Sparks enthusiastically discussed her music, her Texas connection, the tattoo she plans to get when she turns 18 next month, and what she hopes to do one-on-one with label mate Chris Brown (it’s classy, not trashy, y’all).

I know you’re based out of Arizona, but you also have some ties to D-FW, right?

Uh-huh. When my dad played football for the Dallas Cowboys [Phillippi Sparks was a cornerback for the team before retiring from the NFL in 2000], we lived in Plano for a couple of months, and I attended Huffman Elementary School. I was in the fifth grade. It was really brief, but I have great memories from there, and I like Texas a lot. I’ll be performing in Houston on Dec. 9, I think. I’m looking forward to it.

You released an EP [For Now, 2003] a few years before working on your full-length debut. Is it a great departure from what you recorded before, or is it a continuation?

No, this one’s different. That was recorded within a week, and it’s got some nice songs on it, but they’re really bubble-gum type stuff. I liked doing it because it acquainted me with how the studio process works, and it helped to get my name out there, so it’s good to have.

What did you like about working on your debut? Do you have any favorite songs?

Oh, everyone was generous. The producers approached me and said, “Let’s just do these straight through at first, and then we can make changes.” I would suggest a harmony here or a bridge there, and sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t, but it was a learning process, and that worked out for me in the end.
One of my favorites is “God Loves Ugly.” We were getting to the end of recording, and I felt kinda awkward, but I called the writer myself and asked her, “Would you mind if I recorded your song?” and she actually said, “I’ve been hoping and waiting for you to call.” It was crazy how that all fell into place at the last moment, and it’s such a powerful song. I felt it would speak to people like it did to me.
I also love “No Air.” I did it as a solo, but I thought to myself, “This would really be a great duet.” When I told the label this, they asked me who I would have chosen to sing it with, and I immediately said, “Chris Brown.” I remember wanting his CD for Christmas when I was 15 and how happy I was to get it – I never thought we’d do a song together. Well, they sent it to him, he said he liked it, and I was so happy.

What was he like to work with?

Unfortunately, I was across town recording another song when he did the track, but I met him at the BET Awards, and he was so nice. I’d love for it to be the next single so we can do the video together and I can thank him, at least!

You’re a lot like another previous AI winner, Fantasia, since you also were the brunt of criticism for your image. How did you feel when MeMe Roth (of the National Action Against Obesity group) singled you out for your weight by saying that she saw you on AI and thought of “diabetes … heart disease … high cholesterol. … She is not the vision of health – she is the vision of ‘unhealth.’ Her extra weight is a reflection of today’s society and a culture where many of our children have compromised health due to unhealthful food choices and inactivity”?

You know what? I didn’t even know that anyone had said anything about my weight. I was actually doing an interview, just like I’m doing this one, and the reporter asked me about it. I told her I hadn’t heard what was said, and she told me. I was like “O … K!” I just thought, “You have all these issues with me like this and don’t even know me, so whatever.” I love my curves, I love eating, and I’m not going to change who I am just because of what somebody says. So, oh well. … [laughs]

Do you still talk to anybody from the show?

Oh, yeah. I talked to Blake [Lewis] the other day, and I chatted with Sanjaya a few weeks ago, but the one I really bonded with during the tour is Melinda [Doolittle]. She’s like a big sister to me, and we talk about any and everything. I want to be just like her when I grow up!

Any plans for the holiday season? Any words for AI wannabes and your fans?

Well, my mom is going with me when I turn 18, and I’m going to get a tattoo for my little brother PJ. It’ll be just a small tattoo, but he’s been my biggest supporter this year, and that meant so much to me. … He’s going to get one for me, too, in a few years [he’s 15]. As for anyone who wants to compete for AI, get all of the rest you can now, because you’re going to need it! And please, be yourself. I know that sounds really corny, but don’t start out one way and end up another. stay true to you. And as for my fans, I just hope they like the CD. I haven’t changed. I’m still the same person they voted for, and I’m really looking forward to becoming a role model. I hope I make them proud of me.