Valerie Jalbert might be en route to singing her way around the world -- if international gigs scored after her appearances on "Canadian Idol" are a sign of things to come.

The Season 4 Top 22 competitor from St-Jerome, Que., recently took off for Morocco for a three-month singing contract in suave hotel nightclub Le Barfly.

Her schedule puts her onstage from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. six days a week, with the rest of the time free to lounge on the beautiful Atlantic beaches of the city of Agadir.

The opportunity -- which includes living on the beach and all-inclusive catering -- came just months after launching her CD "Trip" and appearing on the cover of Laurentians-area singles magazine "Célébataires."

"It's soooooo cool," the budding lounge diva wrote from her temporary home in the swanky hotel where she works. "The sea is just next to the hotel. The temperature is ALWAYS hot."

It's not even the first trip to the North African country for Ms. Jalbert. She earned a contract to sing in another hotel in Agadir after the first time she appeared in Canadian Idol's Top 22, during Season 2.

She also had the chance to sing in Japan that year, working at a Disney resort.

A true local celebrity in her community north of Montréal, Jalbert's first single "What You've Been Missing" has been in regular rotation on the area radio station.

Before leaving for Morocco, she was giving singing and piano lessons to 35 students a week, still performing regularly, and auditioning for the occasional musical.

It was a lot to leave behind, but Jalbert is a woman who knows when she shouldn't pass up an opportunity. She also knows she'll be back soon enough, and St. Jerome certainly won't have forgotten her. In addition to being a staple in the local media, she's also a regular at a local café's karaoke night at least once a week.

"I have some friends who haven't had a career in music and they like to try to sing with me," she said, adding that - as a teacher - she's happy to teach them tricks on how to improve their special song. "I like the place, I like the people. I can... sing with my friends and have fun."

For Jalbert, that's what life is about: making the best of what comes to you and being happy with your choices. By her philosophy, she's doing alright and there's lots of time left to do more.

"After three years (since first appearing on Canadian Idol) I still work in music full time and it's awesome.

"And I'm only 22. I still want to do so many things."