(CBS) Just a little over a year ago, Katharine McPhee was runner-up on "American Idol" and since then there's been no stopping her.

Her debut album, titled "Katharine McPhee," is a smash, and the singer stopped by The Early Show in Orlando on Friday, the show's first stop of its "Summer In The City Tour."

McPhee tells The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm she wanted to have fun with the album.

"Pop music is what I listen to, definitely, and I wanted to make a fun, fresh record and I still have on my debut record a lot of the big ballads that people remember me from 'Idol' on and I'm young and I think I just wanted people to remember that," she says. "I just wanted to do something that I would enjoy and I think the fans are enjoying it, too. We just did the video for 'Love Story' and it's so much fun. I actually get to dance in the video."

McPhee's mother, a voice coach, encouraged her to let her voice develop naturally. She also danced a lot, and it's something the 23-year-old was mindful of when working on the album. "On 'Idol' I was always so nervous, so I'd step-touch everything. And I think once you go through the whole process, you get to feel more free after you make a record and I definitely wanted stuff I could move to. This is the first song I get to do it with," she says, referring to her song "Love Story."

The past year has been a whirlwind for McPhee and she says the experience has been amazing. "I'm so blessed and I get to meet so many amazing people and everything from being here," she tells Storm.

Her next big step is a movie, which she will begin shooting this summer. "I've been living the dream. That's for sure. It's been amazing," McPhee says.

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