'American Idol' winner Maddie Poppe savoring every moment as career takes off

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Maddie Poppe says winning "American Idol" has boosted her confidence.

It's all still overwhelming, but Poppe does feel like things are starting to fall perfectly into place. She even performed on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" - a dream come true!

"It's never been like this for me before," said Poppe. "I've always gone into everything having so many doubts. And right now, lately I've been going into everything thinking, it's all going to be OK. As exhausted and sleep-deprived as I am, I want to make sure that I savor every moment because I know this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Poppe is especially happy to share her good fortune with her parents.

"They've been to every audition, every contest that I've lost. Every time I've been told 'no,' they've been there for it," said Poppe. "But they never stopped believing in me."

With her "Idol" experience, Poppe found more than just a career boost. She also found a boyfriend in runner-up Caleb Lee Hutchinson. She had a good laugh when thinking about the former beau she had back home in Iowa.

"Well, the boyfriend I had before Caleb dumped me in a McDonald's so he's probably thinking, 'I should have bought her that 20-piece nugget,'" laughed Poppe.

Poppe is about to start working on an album. But first, she'll be touring the country with "American Idol's Top 7."