Following her elimination from American Idol this week, Syesha Mercado sat down with People Magazine. Here are highlights from the interview:

Paula Abdul said you sang songs that didn't really define who you were. In your mind, who are you exactly as an artist?
I'm a mix of a lot of things … I'm like a black Christina Aguilera [or] Alicia Keys. I definitely can see myself putting together a Christina Aguilera album, the one that she just recently did and an Alicia Keys album like The Diary of Alicia Keys. I like Pop and I like R&B and I like the old school, new school thing so I'm growing as an artist, I'm evolving … You'll know who I am once I put out that album.

What are your plans after the American Idol tour?
I want to make an album. I want to star in a film. I want to do Broadway. I want to open up an organic restaurant. It just depends on what comes first but I have goals that I want to do and I write them down and I'm going to continue to look at them. Whatever opportunity comes first, what's the best career move for me, that's pretty much what's going to happen.