Jordin Sparks talks about concert tour, life after ''Idol'' (1/2ページ)

Last season's "American Idol" winner, Jordin Sparks, will head out on her first major concert tour as a solo artist this month as the opening act for R&B star Alicia Keys.

Sparks, 18, released her self-titled debut CD late last year after a summer tour spotlighting top contestants from "Idol."

Although the album started out with the slowest sales of any "Idol" winner, it now is headed toward gold status (500,000 sold) and Sparks' debut single, "Tattoo, "has passed 1 million digital downloads. The singer's latest single, a duet with Chris Brown called "No Air," is in the top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100.

Sparks talked with reporters on a conference call about the upcoming tour and some rare down time she enjoyed at home in Arizona.

Question: When you and Alicia both appeared at Super Bowl XLII, you said that you hoped to take a hike in the desert with Alicia and get to know her. Did you two find time for that?

Answer: I didn't get a chance to go hike with her, although it probably would have been a lot of fun. We were sitting in the same box at the Super Bowl, so I got to talk with her a little bit there. She was very, very nice.

Q: Do you have a theory about why Alicia selected you as an opening act?

A: Oh my gosh, I have no idea. When they told me that I was going with her, my jaw dropped to the floor.

Q: "No Air" is doing well on the charts. How do you feel about going up against Mariah Carey and Madonna?

A: It's really cool to know that I have a song that's up there with the greats putting out their music. I love their songs; it's going to be a fight to the No. 1 spot.

Q: You traveled to Africa after the Super Bowl. What else have you been up to since then?