It’s taken three years, nearly $2 million, and one very questionable Miss Universe pageant performance, but Heidi Montag, star of the The Hills and wife of reality villain Spencer Pratt, finally released her debut album yesterday. Superficial, which Montag and Pratt are putting out on their own label, is an electro-pop collection of 12 tracks with party-friendly titles like “One More Drink” and “Hey Boy.” Montag chatted with EW about the album’s delay, her monetary issues, and why she thinks Superficial is as good as Thriller.

EW: Why did it take three years to put this together?

HEIDI MONTAG: Well, I did it independently. If you look back at the superstars throughout history it used to take that long to put albums together. Now it’s more manufactured. I really wanted to take my time, and every song means so much to me. And every song was a true journey. I had to track down the songs myself, because it was just Spencer and I doing it independently. We really took our time with every single process, because we wanted it to be the highest quality possible. I wanted it to be back to the Thriller days, to that kind of sound. It’s timeless music, so whenever it comes out was the right timing.

EW: Do you think Superficial holds up against something like Thriller?

HM: I definitely do. I think people might not see it now, because it’s my first album coming out. But I’ve spent as much time–maybe more, even–than Thriller. Every detail was very important to me, because I take this very seriously. Most artists, it’s not their own money, but I’ve actually gone broke putting every dollar I’ve ever made and my heart and soul into this music. For me, I have a different appreciation, a different understanding, and a different love of my music and for my album than any other artist possibly could. Because this is my money. This is my gamble. This is my chance.

EW: You’ve gone broke? READ FULL STORY »