A contestant on Season 10 of “American Idol” last year, Karen Rodríguez is now ready to be a fan of the show for the first time as a regular viewer.

“I rarely watched the show before Season 10,” Rodríguez admitted to EXTRA during an interview to help promote Season 11, which premiered last week. “Now, I know what it’s like to be there, so I’m probably going to want to see everything.”

Last season, Rodríguez, who is half Dominican and half Peruvian, finished in 12th place after making it to the semifinals. She was commended by many Latino viewers for making a bold choice to sing in both English and Spanish during the competition.

During our interview, Rodríguez talked about why she connects more with Spanish-language music and what it’s really like singing in front of someone like Jennifer Lopez.

“American Idol” airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. on Fox.

EXTRA: Last season when you were a contestant, why was it so important for you to perform in both English and Spanish?

Karen Rodríguez: Spanish is my first language. My parents are from the Dominican Republic and Peru. They both came to the U.S. to seek opportunities. For me to have an opportunity like “American Idol” speaks volumes. A lot of Latinos are still coming over here to the U.S. to seek those same dreams, but there are so many out there who don’t feel like they’re represented. I wanted to be their voice and speak for all of them. I want to tell them, “You can be President. You can get that job. You can be the next big pop star.”

Did you ever worry you would disconnect yourself from the TV audience who were not bilingual?

No, because I feel ...