Jennifer Lopez: American Idol Helped Me Grow As An Artist

4:51 PM PDT 7/24/2012 by Michele Amabile Angermiller

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The former "American Idol" Judge explained that the show helped her own performances, saying "whatever I'd tell them, it was like telling myself."

After two seasons of judging American Idol, Jennifer Lopez found her advice worked well with one particular vocalist -- herself.

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"Whenever it’s things like that, where you’re working with other people, like the audience, or even another artist, like we did with the contestants on the show, you learn, you grow," the 43-year-old singer told MTV News. " And whatever I’d tell them, it was funny, it was like telling myself."

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Lopez pointed to specific words of wisdom doled out to contestants -- such as the oft-referenced pointers regarding making a connection with the audience as well as conveying feelings -- as examples.

“We all get caught up when we’re the ones standing there, and everybody’s watching. But it’s about forgetting about that and conveying a feeling. And I always feel like whenever I was telling them this over the past two years of doing Idol, that it was helping me grow as an artist as well," she said.

Lopez is proud of her time on Idol, but missed her own time in front of an audience.

“It was a great experience to sit there and do that for a while, and I honestly feel like it was put in my life for a reason, to be part of my journey and part of my growth, because it definitely did that.," she said. "But as much as I love the show, this (singing) is what I do. … And that was fun and it was great, but this is what I do.”

Lopez is currently on tour supporting her new CD, "Dance Again: The Hits." Her new video, "Goin' In" (featuring Flo-Rida) debuts at 7:50 p.m. tomorrow on MTV. She appears at TD Garden in Bostom July 25, Mohegan-Sun, Ct., July 26, Verizon Center, Washington, D.C., July 28, and Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, July 29.