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Everybody out there watches the show and has expectations of wanting to be an 'Idol', but we're going to teach them how much hard work goes into it.

I turned down many chances to be on TV before 'Pop Idol' because I really wasn't interested in being famous. I didn't need it and didn't want it.

I never dreamed that they would ask me to do a TV show. I'm the most surprised person of all.

I've always competed in those shows. Like, I won 'Fear Factor', I did 'I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here', I did 'The Mole', 'Celebrity Apprentice' with Donald Trump. I've done a lot of those shows, all in the hope of being a blessing to my mom's organization.

I think about all of the freaking talent shows I've tried out for in my life, and I'm so glad I didn't make any of them.

There's a certain level of pageantry with 'Idol,' and in order to work the show, you kind of have to feed into it.

I felt like I got more comfortable on 'Idol' when I just started being myself and not trying to be what I thought I had to be.

Celador always ask me to do their shows, and I turned down 'Millionaire.' I couldn't have done it as well as Chris Tarrant, or at least I couldn't have done it any better.

I think, for me, winning opens doors to all types of shapes and sizes and genres to come on the show and kill it. I'm probably the antithesis of what American Idols have been.

I feel like I've been the star of my own show for a while now. I was always putting on shows as a kid, and obviously, my household was really creative.