PEOPLE Gets Personal With Katharine McPhee

With her self-titled CD dropping on January 30th, Katharine McPhee wants people to know that who we saw on American Idol isn't necessarily who she is. As she dishes to PEOPLE Magazine in their upcoming issue, "I think I came off aloof and kind of dry [on Idol]. When people meet me they are like, 'Wow, she's pretty normal.'" She also reveals that she wasn't trying to win the competition as much as just get through it and stay healthy. As has been revealed in the media, Katharine was secretly in recovery from bulimia during the show. While she might have the qualities that go into the making of a diva, she tells PEOPLE that she's actually quite down to earth and conscientious about her money. Her debut CD will also shock some, as it won't have the "power ballads" that she knows that most people are expecting. Instead, she chose to follow her own musical tastes (funk, pop and dance). She even jokes with PEOPLE about excluding "Over the Rainbow" from the CD, saying "I'm 22, and that song aged me like 40 years!" Katharine was also very open with PEOPLE about what attracts her to her boyfriend, Nick Cokas, who is actually nineteen years her elder. "He's really smart," says McPhee. "We love to create things together." And create things they have. They co-produced a play that garnered stellar reviews at New York's Fringe Festival last summer. She goes on to tell PEOPLE that they are not living together, but "things are great." By all accounts, the article in PEOPLE shows that Katharine is in a really good spot in her life right now. On top of the release of her CD, she is feeling comfortable with herself and her body. As she revealed to the magazine, "I eat whatever I want-like last week we went to Cabo and I ate like 30 pounds of chips and guacamole!" "But I put on my jeans this morning and they still fit!" To read the full article, pick up the edition of PEOPLE Magazine, which hits shelves on Friday. Starting Tuesday, you can download all the singles off Kat's first album or you can get her versions of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "My Destiny" today in our Downloads Store.