Photo: Christopher Willard/ABC

BRANDON ARMSTRONG, JORDIN SPARKS

Jordin Sparkstook her time joiningDancing with the Stars— but is happy she finally stepped onto the dancefloor.

TheAmerican Idolwinner, 32, told reporters including PEOPLE after Monday night’s show that despite being asked she was always “too scared” to jointhe showin the past because she “wasn’t ready.”

“The timing just didn’t go right. Mentally, I wasn’t in the right space,” added Sparks.

Thankfully, that all changed whenDWTScame calling in 2022 and Sparks said she thought “‘You know what? Yes. Why not?'”

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she added of the show, which “doesn’t happen very often anymore.”

“There’s not a lot of firsts,” she continued. “So it’s nice to be able to do something and stretch my brain.”

Christopher Willard/ABC

BRANDON ARMSTRONG, JORDIN SPARKS

“I had to change my mentality about it, cause I was really scared. It’s really scary to do something you don’t know and put yourself out there like that,” she said Monday. “I had to change my mentality [to be like], ‘Just have a good time. Like, this… When is this going to happen to me again?'”

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He and Sparks’ husband,Dana Isaiah, have been supporting her in the audience throughout the season, and Monday night’sDisney+ episodewas no different as they watched her and partner Brandon Armstrong perform a jazz routine to “Remember Me” from Disney Pixar’sCoco, a song she often sings to her son at night.

BRANDON ARMSTRONG, JORDIN SPARKS

After the show, theNo Airsinger was proud of herself for achieving her highest score so far in the competition, sharing that she is holding herself to a high standard when it comes to her performances.

“I don’t do things unless I think I can do them well, unless I think I can get to a level of the standard that I hold myself to,” she said when asked if she thinks the Mirrorball trophy is in her future. “Listen, I’ve already visualized myself holding this Mirrorball, okay.”

While she has high hopes for the season, her body is feeling the consequences of her expectations. “My feet hurt, okay? My body hurts. I physically haven’t pushed myself like this ever in my life,” she told reporters. “Everything has been a challenge, but it’s been a good one. I’m really, really enjoying it.”

Dancing with the Starsairs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Disney+.

source: people.com