At the beginning of "American Idol [ tickets ]" season seven, Judge Simon Cowell called eventual winner David Cook "cocky" and "pompous." However, during the finale, Cowell did a 180 and dubbed Cook one of the most sincere contestants he's ever met.

Cook explained, during a teleconference with journalists Friday (5/23), that he wasn't the one who changed over the eight-month period from auditions until he was crowned the "American Idol" on Wednesday (5/22).

"I didn't really change much of anything, as strange as it is," said Cook, 25. "I didn't have any expectations as to what the show was going for do me, or what I was going to do for the show. I went into it as an opportunity to expose myself musically to a large audience. And so my confidence level never really wavered, and maybe that's what got misinterpreted as cocky and arrogant. But I think maybe as the season went on, he saw the work I was putting in--not just to my own stuff--but really to make it a positive working environment for everybody."

Cowell's opinion wasn't the only thing that changed during the "American Idol" season. It seemed that each time Cook covered a song, judge Randy Jackson said he should walk in those artists' shoes when recording his debut. But Cook had a simple answer for his debut's expectations. He said he wants to create an album that makes the hair on the back of people's necks stand up.

"I'll probably end up putting out a rock record because I feel that's the kind of music that I enjoy playing," Cook said. "But that was the exciting thing about the show--I loved knowing there were things I could do that people would never expect I could do. I'm going to try to recreate that energy within this record. I want people to feel they got taken on a trip from beginning to end. I've got my work cut out for me, but it should be fun."

The road from the beginning of Cook's "Idol" trip was one that was meant to be, he said. He didn't plan on auditioning for the show. Instead he was merely accompanying and cheering on his brother, Andrew.

"He really wanted me to audition with him, and I was just hesitant," Cook said. "Not for any negative association with the show, I just didn't really see this as my path, for whatever reason. But 5:30 in the morning in Omaha, standing in line and it's raining, the sun hasn't come up. And a producer comes by with a camera and interviews my brother and then turns to me. I say, 'I'm not auditioning.' And he says, 'You are now.' Life has a weird way of working itself out sometimes."

Cook and this year's other Top 10 finalists will be appearing on the upcoming "American Idols Live [ tickets ]" tour, which gets underway July 1.