Jordin Sparks’ New Music Has Her ‘Stepping into Her Power’ (Exclusive)

Jordin Sparks revealed what to expect from her upcoming album.

On Thursday, Sparks, 34, joined artists Marcella Araica and Carly Pearce on PEOPLE’s Women In The Mix panel (held in partnership with the Recording Academy and Sephora) on creating space and opportunity for even more representation of women in the music industry. Sparks caught up with PEOPLE on the red carpet before the event.

“This new music is about getting into the woman I am now, getting into my power, my confidence, into who I am as a woman, a man, an artist, a mom, a wife, a friend, a woman”, American Idol alum exclusively shares with PEOPLE.

She says listeners will “hear little bits” of the different musical genres that “inspired [her] over the years,” including country, R&B and “a little bit” of her “gospel roots.”

Jordin Sparks on February 1, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

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The singer explains how this upcoming album has allowed her to feel “freedom” within herself. She shares that freedom “has been the main thread” throughout her career and that previously “the focus was on the freedom within the creative” or “sometimes the focus was on the freedom within the look”. But this time, she wants to feel that freedom within her music.

“I want to be able to record the music I want to record because I want to record it, not because it has to meet some criteria,” admits the singer. “I want to make it for myself, and I want to believe in it, and I want to love it.”

“But the album is going to be amazing because I don’t want to put any limits on myself,” adds Sparks.

Carly Pearce, Jordin Sparks and Janine Rubenstein on February 1, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

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During a Women In The Mix Q&A between Sparks, Araic and Pearce, the “No Air” singer elaborated on creating boundaries for herself in the music industry.

She explained that because she joined the industry at the age of 17 after winning the sixth season of the show American Idol“She didn’t understand that not everyone wishes you well.”

“An old colleague told me: ‘Jordin, this is a music business, not a musical friendship’.”

Sparks confirmed that “obviously” there was “definitely” a chance for us to be friends, but then she learned that music is “a lot of people’s work.”

“People have different goals and they may not exactly match your goals,” added the singer. “Boundaries are so important and it’s okay to stick to them, we have to stick to boundaries.”

Jordin Sparks on October 16, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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‘No’ is a complete sentence,’ explained the singer. “You don’t have to explain yourself. You don’t have to give a reason why you say no, why it won’t work, [or] why can’t you do [a] meeting.”

While Sparks is drawing firmer boundaries, she explained during the Q&A that it has allowed her to protect her family, “energy,” “peace” and her “peace of mind and heart.” The musician explained how the protection of these elements became “the main priority [for her] that comes first.”

Sparks added that when she made “that decision” everything she dreamed about started to come true because she “wasn’t distracted by other things.”

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Source: HIS Education