Over the years, Koffeehouse has worked with several former American Idol finalists, but none with quite the pure vocal prowess, stage presence and post-Idol success of Katharine McPhee. It was a smooth transition — her self-titled debut solo album on RCA/19 Recordings reached #2 on the Billboard 200, was the best chart debut for a solo female artist and her first single, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow / My Destiny,” debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales chart. We’d say that’s a whole lot more than beginner’s luck.

Katharine is currently touring and promoting her sophomore album “Unbroken” for which she co-wrote a majority of the songs and shows that she’s mysterious yet transparent, wounded yet brave. McPhee has also become quite the triple-threat, co-starring on CSI: NY, Community, in the hit Adam Sandler comedy The House Bunny and the upcoming romantic comedy You May Not Kiss the Bride (late 2010). A natural beauty and a social do-gooder, Katharine has also been a spokesperson for Neutrogena, Sexy Hair and now Feeding America and ConAgra Foods Foundation’s “Hunger-Free Summer for Kids” campaign.

On the eve of Koffeehouse’s 4th Annual “Evening of Independence” charity concert to benefit MusiCares featuring Katharine and a lineup of other special guests, Koffehouse asked Katharine about a wide variety of topics including songwriting, her aspirations, and her work with the “Hunger-Free Summer for Kids” campaign.

KH: Ok, let’s get right to the serious questions. More nervous: auditioning for Simon Cowell or walking down the aisle?

KM: Hands down, Simon.

KH: You’ve been singing your entire life, but what was the one moment when you realized that you could do this as your career?

KM: I don’t think there was actually a “moment.” I always knew I wanted to act and sing. I did it all through high school and then a semester-and-a-half at Boston Conservatory. I moved back to LA to pursue acting and just thought, “as long as I work hard and stay at it, things will take off.” Probably a little naïve, but what the heck, I was 18-years-old.

KH: Your label (Verve Universal) is home to some of our favorites including the likes of Melody Gardot, Diana Krall, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. Verve’s CEO, Bruce Resnikoff, recently said you are “the most gifted vocalist of your generation.” How much of this praise do you attribute to raw, natural talent versus hard work and determination?

KM: I feel like a professor answering this question. “Here, here my lass…” That is an incredible compliment coming from someone like Bruce Resnikoff who has been in this business so long and has worked with so many amazing artists. I love Verve and everyone who is there because they believe in me so much and they are so supportive of my work. I’m not just saying that – Verve is a very unique place. I imagine it to be like the labels in the old days of music, with an incredible focus on artist development. To answer your question, I think people are born with certain things they can do well. No one thing is better than another but I think you have to be born with “it.” What you choose to do with “it” is what keeps you moving forward and succeeding. I work hard daily with my voice and my acting. I can only speak of the entertainment world, but everyone has something they’re good at and should work hard to keep things moving forward.

KH: Your sophomore album, Unbroken, seems to reflect your true essence as a singer songwriter. What did it take for you to tap into the inspired songwriting that we hear in Unbroken?

KM: I had some great encouragement from incredible people like David Foster and Bobby Colomby. I was simply encouraged to pretend like I was writing a musical diary. It could be based on my life or based on the lives of others, but I just had to write. I started with an idea or a feeling and I wrote. I was also very blessed to be in the room with writers like Paula Cole, Ingrid Michaelson and Rachael Yamagata. When you fit with someone, the writing just sort of takes its course.

KH: You’ve collaborated with some of the best singer/songwriters around. Tell us about one of your favorite songwriters that you had a chance to work with.

KM: It’s amazing when it clicks. For instance, Ingrid and I really clicked. One weekend I was staying at a friend’s apartment in New York and Ingrid came over. We opened up some ice cream and ate and ate while she had her ukulele out and we just played and had so much fun. I had a great time with all the writers in different ways.

KH: So what’s your “freeway only” song. You know, that song you play and sing at full volume on the freeway, but turn down when you’re at a stoplight because you’d be embarrassed if people knew you actually liked that song?

KM: I don’t think I would be embarrassed if people heard what I was playing but I might be embarrassed if they saw me doing the choreography. I was obsessed with Beyonce’s “Put a Ring On It” for the longest time and loved doing all the hand movement. Oh, maybe a few years ago it would have been the soundtrack to “Wicked.” I knew every lyric and would sing it at the top of my lungs while driving. I actually wore out the CD so I guess that would be it!

KH: You’ve become the ambassador for the Hunger-Free Summer for Kids campaign with Feeding America and ConAgra Foods Foundation to combat youth hunger around the country. How did you get involved with this incredible campaign and how can we help?

KM: It really is an incredible campaign. I know it seems strange that there are people and kids who are hungry in America but, unfortunately, there are. I met Adam Shankman and David Arquette at an event in New York one night and they invited me to dinner. We had such a blast and they started to tell me about how involved they were with Feeding America. They asked me to perform a couple of songs at Club Nokia with Sheryl Crow and Ben Harper, among others, and I was honored to be asked. After that night, I started to get involved in little ways through different events. We had an idea of finding a way to do it bigger over the summer months when some 17 million children go without the feeding programs they have access to over the school year. ConAgra Foods Foundation generously jumped in and said they would underwrite the summer program and here we are. My hope is that this program becomes an annual event with more involvement from different artists around the country because the need is great. Beneficiaries need to be informed that these programs exist in the summer and the rest of the public needs to know that there is a huge need for volunteering time, services and money. I had no idea that there was such a need in our country and felt like if there was something, however small, that I could do, I wanted to do it. I love the organization. Please go to www.feedingamerica.org or www.katharinemcphee.com to find all sorts of resources which guide those in need and those who want to get involved in their local communities.

KH: Much was made of your new style and hair color when you released Unbroken. Should we make anything of your recent transition back to your classic brunette look? Does it signal a new artistic direction?

KM: (Laugh) It’s just hair and a woman’s prerogative to change it up every once in a while. I never imagined it would take on its own life. I had always wanted to try blonde and the timing seemed right. I had to change it back for a role I was playing. I will say my heart goes out to everyone who keeps it up who are natural brunettes and now are blonde. I never imagined how much work it would be to keep it up. Whew.

KH: It’s August 7, 2015. Tell us about the professional and family life of Katharine McPhee.

KM: Wow. That is the first really tough question! First and foremost, a continued blessed family life. I know it can sound cliché, but work comes and goes. I had someone tell me early on to always try and remember “you are not what you do.” I make sure I have people around me I can trust and give me honest feedback. Career-wise, I just love working. I love acting and I love performing and I hope I am continually blessed with the opportunities to do both. That sounds corny doesn’t it? Well then, an Academy award, a Tony and a Grammy. Oh and why not, throw in an Emmy for a great Showtime or HBO mini series like John Adams… just joking!

Just like she won our hearts on Idol, triple-threat Katharine McPhee has big plans to win the hearts of awards season selection committees. And we wouldn’t be surprised if she does it before 2015. Stay tuned…