Over the years, Sparks has continued to evolve beyond her charting singles. The renowned vocalist showcased an undeniable artistry with her fifth studio album, No Restrictions, in September. A few months later, the entertainer began embracing the holiday spirit with Joy, her second Christmas EP released in collaboration with Epidemic Sound.

These back-to-back releases highlight her ability to balance contemporary sounds with heartfelt, seasonal classics, reminding the world why she remains a beloved figure in music.

In an exclusive conversation with REVOLT, Sparks opened up about her journey, what is next, the importance of authenticity, the possibility of returning to “American Idol” as a judge and much more. Additionally, she shared her excitement about working with the legendary Debbie Allen on A Motown Christmas Special and fun holiday traditions she wants to experience with her son. Read up!

If Joy were the soundtrack to its own holiday film, what would the storyline be, and what role would you play in bringing that festive magic to life?

I feel like it would be an indie dramatic-type feeling, leaning more into the narrative of the story. I kind of feel like it could be a movie about an unexpected pregnancy [that] ends up becoming this beautiful thing that brings the family together in the end.

This is the second time you collaborated and worked with Epidemic Sound — what was it about them that made you comfortable enough to work with them?

To be able to work with them has just been really, really fun and also freeing. They have a different way of working and of making sure the artist is heard and gets to do [what] they would like to do while also making sure that they are achieving [what] they want to achieve. This is my second year working with them [for] my Christmas EP. The first one was The Gift of Christmas last year, and they are so great to work with. They are an amazing company. I am just really grateful that we were able to find each other and to be able to put these songs out, because I have always wanted to do covers of all the [holiday] classics we love.

We have grown up with you, and it is a beautiful thing to see you now celebrating the holidays with your child. Can you share one moment with your son that feels like it could be the start of your own family’s Christmas movie?

First of all, I want to just say we have all grown up together, so it is really crazy that you guys have seen so many pivotal moments in my life and have grown with me. I am just so grateful that after all these years, people still care what I am doing and still have the patience to wait for my music. They are always just interested to know what is happening — that is never lost on me, and I am really grateful that I am still in the position to be able to do what I love.

As for traditions, I really love to bake around the holidays. That was something that I did with my Nana and mom growing up... so, I want to make popcorn balls with my son. It is similar to making Rice Krispies Treats. You just use popcorn instead, and you mold them into circles instead of squares, and it is just really fun. You get really sticky, but it is just really fun to do. When I was younger, we did that as well and would gift them to families and friends… I love doing that. I am looking around my house right now; all I see is Grinch green. We are the family that loves the Grinch at Christmas time.

Two months ago, you performed for A Motown Christmas Special, directed by Debbie Allen, and it looked amazing. What’s one lesson or creative spark Allen instilled in you during that project that you carry into your holiday celebrations today?

I have seen and worked with Debbie [throughout] my career. She is always like the consummate professional and I love that she does not take no BS, okay? (laughs). She does not mess around, and she is like, “You guys need to listen because we have this amount of time and if you don't, you're going to ruin the show and if you do, that's going to look bad on me.” It is like everybody gets whipped into shape, but she does it in a very firm, yet gentle way.

She is a superwoman. I adore her, but I think I would love to take that with me. Not necessarily only through the holidays, but through life. You have to speak up, be clear, be concise and still be able to work in a way that — after you leave — they are going to want to work with you again. She is incredible. That whole show was so fun.

In “No Restrictions,” you sing, "I wanna feel love, come and fill me up." How did your own experiences with love inform the vulnerability behind this lyric? Do you believe that desire stems from a personal void, or is it universal?

In that song in particular, I was definitely thinking about my husband. With that line, oh, man, I experienced a lot. Like I said before, you guys have watched me grow and go through so many things. So, there was a time… there was like a few years in there [when] my relationships were plastered everywhere. So many untruths, so many things. At the time, I was just going to be quiet — silence is golden. They cannot make me come out of my character and they cannot make me say things that you know are not true. If people want to believe those things, I know the truth, and I am just going to stick with that.

Honestly, the song is everything from love [to] self-love and familial [love]. I should say they all elevated after that moment in time. I have to really look at what is serving me and what isn't. I have to really take into account what I am doing, take responsibility for myself, [the] choices that I am making, what I am doing [and] where I am placing my energy.

No Restrictions feels like a declaration of freedom. What restrictions — be it industry expectations, personal doubts or creative challenges — did you shed to embrace this new era of artistry?

Oh, see, I love that you already understand what the project is about, because it is about that. It is about freedom. It is about stepping into my power. It is about doing things that I want to do because I love them. When you love something, it, in turn, shows people that they can love it, too, because you believe in it so much.

The [restriction] I had to shed was the things that I was holding on to. Outdated ideals and beliefs that other people might have said over the years, [that] for some reason, I still held onto even though they let it go. Sometimes we can form these agreements with ourselves without even realizing it, and subconsciously, we are just like, “Oh, yeah, I'm this” or “I'll never do this or that” instead of being like, “Is that actually what I think?” I really had to shed a lot of layers.

Would you ever consider joining “American Idol” as a judge, and how do you think your experience as a former winner could shape your approach?

Earlier this year, I saw something on X that said [Katy Perry] was thinking about leaving the show. Immediately, I tweeted and said, “I’m throwing my hat in the ring.” I am throwing it in there because I think I would love to do that. I feel like I have gotten asked that so many times in my career, and early on, I just was like, “I’m not ready to judge someone else. I don't want to judge people in general, but I'm not ready to sit in that position. I still have so much to learn for myself and so much to go through.” So now, at this point, I feel like I have a lot that I can offer and a lot that I can say... [and] being a winner [is] definitely a big perk.

I know what it takes to get there and kind of the mentality that you have to have. There is no guarantee you will win the competition, [because there are] just so many variables that have to line up for it to happen. One of them being belief in yourself; you have to believe that you are meant to be there in that space and believe in your gift. I really think it would be fun to be able to mentor that way, to be able to go back to the show that gave me my dreams. We will see — you never know. I believe Carrie Underwood will be Perry’s replacement — she is another former Idol winner, and I think she is going to be incredible. If there is another seat that happens to open, they know where to find me.

Seeing “One Step At a Time” trend on TikTok years after its release must be surreal. How do you feel about younger generations rediscovering your music through social platforms, and do you think it alters how artists approach longevity in their work?

It has been really amazing to see how music travels now. It is so different. The landscape has changed again — it has changed so many times since I came into the industry [in] 2007. I love it. I love that there are people who are finding my music and the stuff that launched me, which I feel like is really nice because I want them to discover all my music and, obviously, my recent music. When [they] see where I started, they can really take the journey [to] where I am at now.

Every time I see it trending or I see a new video, it makes my heart smile. I am really grateful because it could be the opposite. My music could not be anywhere with people not discovering it.

Longevity is a word I have always had at the forefront of my mind. I am very patient. Things are not going to come out unless they are right. I want things to be well done and well intentioned, and so longevity has always been the name of the game for me. So, with TikTok I was like, “Wow, this is really a unique opportunity to be able to not only show the music that made me and created me, but the music of where I am now.” It does give artists a little bit more freedom to be able to express themselves in whatever way that they want, [and] I think that that is something that we really need.

You have only lent your voice to two records outside your solo work. What draws you to such selectivity, and are there any dream collaborations you would pursue in the future?

I am very much a storyteller, so the lyrics and what the song is conveying is so important to me. I feel like I cannot just put my voice on anything just because it might be a trend or [for] a crazy big artist.

I do have a little bit of criteria but at the same time, it is not that I do not want to do collaborations. I love doing them. I think it is so much fun when you can find somebody who might not even be in the same wheelhouse, but somehow it just works.

I have opened myself up a lot more to different collaborations and I actually want to do a collaboration EP. I do not know if it would be like a full-length album, but I would love to grab a few people who would be really fun to work with and put it all together... I would love to do different genres... something with a country artist, the alternative space, EDM, Latin space and of course R&B and pop. I would love to work with Tori Kelly — she is absolutely incredible. I just did something with Maverick City Music, and I really enjoyed doing that. Maybe Anitta or Becky G. There are so many — my brain is literally turning right now (laughs).