TVSquad

While last season is considered by some to have been a major disappointment, you can't deny the rising star of winner Jordin Sparks. Her debut single "Tattoo" is hanging steady in Billboard's Top 10 while her follow-up "No Air," performed with Chris Brown, is rising fast. She got rave reviews for her rendition of the national anthem at this year's Super Bowl, which she followed up with an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist. And now she's announced that she will be the opening act on Alicia Keys' highly anticipated "As I Am" tour.

The thirty-date tour runs through June 18, so she'll be on tour still when the Idol finale this year comes around. I'm sure she'll catch a red-eye to make the show, though, you can't buy that kind of exposure! I'm glad to see her opening for a bigger act rather than going out ego-first and trying to headline on one album as some artists have done. She has the potential to build herself a nice little pop career, she just needs to nurture it along slowly and carefully.