Katharine McPhee's favorite career moment

In order to go from being a runner-up on "American Idol" to landing a lead role on "Smash" while building a solo career in between, 28-year-old singer/actress Katharine McPhee says she had to focus on the positive.

For anyone who sees her career and wants to follow in her footsteps, “You have to love it! You have to even love the lows,” McPhee advised in a recent interview with CNN.

“Just like any career, life is hard and there are challenges, especially with this business," she went on. "There's a lot of hoops to jump through and hills and valleys, [but] it's really rewarding when it's sweet.”

It’s that kind of outlook that undoubtedly helps her focus as she sets her sights on future goals.

“Where do I see myself in three years time? I hope I'm still working,” she joked before listing a few aspirations. “Maybe [I’ll have] a couple of movies under my belt, [or] maybe even going on Broadway!”

McPhee also has a particular career high - and it just happens to involve Alicia Keys and the former President Bill Clinton. Check out the video above to find out what happened.

Thanks to Katharine McPhee for chatting with us, and all of our iReporters for submitting questions! Hit up our iReport interview page to submit your questions and see which celebrities we’re talking to next!