A native of Virginia, Chris Richardson was in his home state as part of the American Idols Live tour recently.

The Virginian-Pilot conducted the following interview with this rising star:

What are you going to do after the tour is over?
I'll be traveling and doing my album, but when I get home from the tour, of course, just trying to see some friends and family.

What's it like being on the road? Is it grueling?
Oh, yeah. It gets grueling at times and you get tired, but you have fun with it. I think everybody looks forward to it ending, but then they don't. It's like one of those bittersweet times where you don't want to tell everybody goodbye, but you have to just carry on.

Is there any one thing - like I don't know, a cheese steak from somewhere - that when you come home you have to have?
Foodwise, not really. I enjoy going to Fuddruckers in Chesapeake, but I just enjoy being in the company of my family and friends. And taking that down time, because you're always going - getting noticed everywhere - not that that's bad, I love it - but you do need that down time.

Well this is good preparation for your solo career, right?
Yeah, it is. That's what this whole show is about for me. It's how to become a successful solo artist. From being on television trying to adapt to the nervousness that it emits, then going on tour doing press, just learning how to live in that world, how to be careful with the things that you do so you show yourself in the most positive of lights.

What was the one thing you splurged on when you got a little bit of cash?
To be honest with you, I have not splurged on anything. The only thing I bought was another computer. I already had one, but I bought another laptop for the tour. Oh, and I bought another guitar. But other than that I don't really spend any money. I save it, try to invest it. For me it's all about real estate.

Once I get done purchasing my home, I'll get an apartment complex or something. I think you should always have a backup plan for anything that you do.

When's your album coming out? Do you have a date yet?
I don't have a date yet. I'm working on it as we speak. I've been writing on it, but I'm not officially signed with anyone yet. But I do have three songs that'll be on Blake's (second-place winner Blake Lewis) album. I've been writing with him.

Hopefully I'll have a couple on Jordin's. (Jordin Sparks, first-place winner.) On the tour I've just been songwriting. I've been trying to build credibility in different fields, not just as a solo artist but songwriting. I think in the music business you gain more respect the more stuff you dip your hands in.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.