Allison Iraheta has been off American Idol for almost a full year now, but the singer tells the latest issue of Latina magazine that life is better than ever.

"I don’t have to step onto a stage and get judge every week. Now I get to do my own songs and talk to my fans," she said. "There are all these girls writing my on Twitter... saying [they] love songs like ‘Scars’ because they can totally relate to what I’m singing about. Things are really good right now.”

Iraheta will tour this summer with Adam Lambert, who has nothing but amazing things to say about his friend:

“She’s so freaking talented... The first time I heard her album, I was in a car with the windows down and I was just dancing and rocking out to it. It’s going to take some time, but she’ll get there.”

And where is that place? Allison hopes it's a level of accomplishment where she's recognized for being herself, not for having starred on the most popular show on TV.

“I don’t want people to see me and immediately think, ‘Oh, that’s the girl with the red hair who was on American Idol. I want them to say, ‘That’s Allison Iraheta. She’s a great artist who makes real music and has something to say - and she rocks.”