Q&A with American Idol's Allison Iraheta  

Screening Room: How did it feel, this whole American Idol experience?   

Allison Iraheta: God, it's just so awesome, you know. It's so crazy how we were on that stage and how time flew by so fast, but I’m just really happy that I got the opportunity to be on that stage and just have fun, you know?  

SR: It was fun to watch your mom cheering you on every week.   

AI: They have been super excited for me every week, and nervous, as well. They've just been like "Whoa, God, I can’t wait!" When they’re in the audience, they’re always screaming out to me, and they’re just super excited. And just really happy for me and very supportive.   

SR: What was your favorite performance?   

AI: Definitely have to be "Don't Want to Miss a Thing." I really enjoyed doing that so much.
   

SR: You really have such great stage presence. You really own it!   

AI: Thanks. Yeah. You know, I like to have fun up there, and rather than think about "Oh my god, what are the judges going to say?" and "What’s going to go on when no one’s around me?" and all that, I love enjoying the song and connecting with it. Which is why I totally blank out after I’m done singing, and I’m like, "What just happened up there?" It’s pretty funny, but I really just get into it.   

SR: If you could work with anybody in the business, who would it be?   

AI: It would have to be Pink. I’ve bragged about her so much and how much I love her and it's only because, to me she’s like my idol, my inspiration, because I’ve grown up always listening to how amazing she is. She’s just, I don’t know, amazing, which is why I just hope I get to meet her one day.   

She has this amazing voice and she’s just really, you know, she’s stayed true to herself since the beginning which I always like. ... She’s the same person she was when she started.
   

SR: What would you say is the best piece of advice you’ve received?   

AI: It wasn’t really much of advice; it was mostly that they pointed out the fact that I am who I am, you know? It’s like, do you want to get out there and know who you really are and who you want to be as an artist? They told me that, "We know who you are, and we know what you want to do." And I really stuck with that, because it’s really, like I said with Pink. She’s stayed true to herself since the beginning. And, them telling me that they know who I want to be in the future is already, now, a boost, a confidence boost.   

SR: How did you deal with the stress of the competition?   

AI: The funny thing was that we were so busy that we wouldn’t even realize it. We’d just be like "Oh my god, okay we’ve got to do this, then this, then that, then wake up in the morning and practice and do this." So we didn’t even realize how stressed out and tired we were; we were just in the zone, and we’d be like going with the flow. And it’s every nerve-racking each week going on the stage before we perform. I’d usually view me being nervous as like a boost. Like I’m nervous, but I’ve got to go up there and just have fun or something. Yeah, it’s crazy. It’s a whirlwind.   

SR: It seemed like you all got along very well.  
 
AI: Yeah, and that was even the best part, you know. We got along; we had no negative energy. We never had that one person that would just be out of the group or something. And we were all just together all of the time, and we were just like a family. 
  

SR: What's playing on your iPod?   

AI: Let’s see. Right now, let’s just pull it up. I think the last thing I was listening to was the Airborne Toxic Event. I was listening to "Sometime Around Midnight." But I got everything in there. I like listening to a little of the rocks, something upbeat, anything really that’ll keep me awake or focused.   

SR: What would be your favorite way to spend a day off?   

AI: It would have to be home, with the family, friends—definitely. Eating my face off and having fun.


Meet more of the American Idols!