Jordin Sparks makes wholesome look sexy on the September 2012 cover of REDBOOK magazine. The singer and actress is poised to take over theaters next Friday with the lead role in Sparkle, and she's dishing all on how Whitney Houston, weight loss, & the love of her life Jason Derulo, have changed things.
Get the pics--including a shot with her boyfriend--from the issue inside. Plus, a sneak peek at our newest Olympic icon Gabby Douglas' PEOPLE magazine cover...
Jordin's looking stunning in orange as she covers the pages of REBOOK's big September issue. And she's being surprisingly open about how weight loss has affected her life, how much she loves her man (they just celebrated their 1-year anniversary on Augiust 1!) and why she chooses to avoid the Hollywood party scene.
On how Whitney Houston's death puts Sparkle in a new light:
"I get so overwhelmed because it's my first film, and for my first film to be so deep and heavy...I got to work with one of my idols and sing with her, and she even played my mother. I don't know if anything will ever be as good as this. Sometimes I ask myself, 'Why did I deserve to have a part in a film like this?' I don’t want this to come off crazy, but somebody said to me, 'It's like Whitney essentially passed the torch.' And to hear that, it's just nuts."
On Whitney’s struggles with addiction:
I can only talk about what I experienced. I do think there is a different aura around the film now. I think there was some skepticism before. And there are certainly some themes in the movie that everyone would have wanted to ask Whitney about like, “Did you relate your own life to this part,” which I’m sure she would have answered honestly. The cool thing about Whitney was that she was not scared to talk about or confront the things she had gone through.
On her recent weight loss:
"My whole journey has been about self-acceptance. There's no quick or magical way to lose weight. You just have to do it the natural way — diet and exercise and stick to it — and be able to do it at your own pace. Everyone has their own thing."
On finding love with fellow musician Jason Derulo:
"We both went through things that were tragic, and that brought us even closer together. He had a near-death experience, and I lost someone. Priorities get in line when stuff like that happens. Family is what matters — and being with the people you love."
On why Hollywood's party scene isn't for her:
"Oh, I'm waaay too scared to dabble in anything like that. I like the way my heart beats, I like the way I think; I don't need or want anything to change that. The first thing I think of is, 'What would my grandparents say?' My mom and dad would kick my butt."
Nice! The issue hits stands August 14th.
And speaking of magazines:
People Magazine just released a sneak peek of their new cover, via their Twitter account. And Ms. Gabby Douglas, the 16-year-old much talked about Olympic Gold medalist twice over, is their newest cover subject. The issue hits stands soon...
Photo credit: Gilles Bensimon for REDBOOK, People