'Idol' winner Allen is ready for tour and album

NEW YORK -- A year ago, Kris Allen was planning on finishing college and getting a "regular job."

The 23-year-old singer from Conway, Ark., said he was looking forward to getting married (he tied the knot last September) and knew he needed a career plan.

"I was like, 'You know what? I've got to figure something out.' I went back to college and I was gonna finish school and hopefully something would happen. Just kind of have a regular job, regular life, and `American Idol' stepped in," Allen said.

Now the season eight winner of the Fox singing competition (he won the title last week over Adam Lambert) is looking forward to the "American Idol" summer tour, which kicks off July 5 in Portland, Ore. The tour will stop July 26 in Memphis, Tenn., and Aug. 29 in St. Louis.

Allen is also looking forward to recording an album that's like the music he performed on "Idol" -- but kicked up a notch.

"I want it to be different. I want to put out music that's gonna be completely different than what's going on right now in the music world," he said.

Allen said he and his wife, Katy, are learning to deal with being in the spotlight.

He said Katy had to stop using Facebook because she received so many messages after he won "Idol."

-- AP