Candice Glover was crowned “American Idol’s” twelfth winner on Thursday night – and after the show, she was still soaking it all in.
AccessHollywood.com’s Laura Saltman caught up with singer following her emotional win, and Candice revealed what first went through her head when she heard Ryan Seacrest announce she had won.
“All I started to think about was like, oh my gosh, I have a song on iTunes. It’s my song!” she said. “I’m going to be making an album. I’m going to be doing all these different things — going on tour and singing for my fans.”
The realization of how her life will soon change left the singer in tears.
“I was just overwhelmed. I know you saw me do the ugly cry and everything!” she said, laughing.
Though crying, Candice sang her new single, “I Am Beautiful,” and the emotion of the song’s theme also added to her tears.
“[It was] definitely [hard to get through] and I know that the song is about a guy that did a girl wrong and now she’s found this good guy,” she said. “But it’s also being like, on social media and being attacked and stuff on social media, and everybody just saying whatever they want to you.
“It’s just a message to them like, even when you say I’m not beautiful, I’m beautiful,” she explained. “And so I really connect with the lyrics. Even [after] winning the show, all of that was in my mind at the same time. I just couldn’t even sing!”
The song hits a nerve with Candice, as she’s frequently struggled with insecurities, and has been on the receiving end of many a mean-spirited Tweet during her time on the Fox reality competition.
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“You hear it every day — people call you ugly, they call you fat, they call you all these different things and none of that ever feels good,” she said. “But that’s when you just have to remember that you are beautiful and you are somebody.”
As for her future as the new “American Idol,” Candice’s first day as the winner began with a trip to Access Hollywood, where she visited with Laura again and revealed she was headed straight to a recording session her upcoming album.
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