With Jason Derulo and Lady Gaga’s time together on the Monster Ball Tour about to come to a close, the “Whatcha Say” singer admitted that being Gaga’s opening act has certainly been an experience. Lady Gaga’s elaborate stage show and pop-star persona have definitely rubbed off on him. And he said that the singer is looking a lot better since postponing some tour dates due to exhaustion:

“She looked great yesterday,” Derulo told MTV News on Thursday after Gaga kicked off a run of shows at Radio City Music Hall in her hometown of New York. “I was impressed. I watched the show yesterday — it was awesome.”

With her medical problems behind her, Gaga was able to go back to putting on an awe-inspiring show. And watching Gaga night after night has Derulo singing her praises. “I mean, I love so many different aspects of her performance. I feel like she definitely is the new Madonna,” he said in an interview earlier this month. “I was always a big Madonna fan. My mom is a big Madonna fan, so that kind of got handed down to me.”

He also said that for anyone who didn’t grow up in Madonna’s golden age, Gaga is the perfect way to understand that sort of magic. “I guess a lot of people my age don’t know what Madonna was like,” he explained. “They’re really, really similar in their performance and their personality also. She just comes alive onstage. She is an incredible performer. She makes you want to watch. I love the costumes. I love the costume changes. It’s a real production.”

Derulo added that when he steps out on his own tour he plans on bringing that flare with him. “I studied musical theater my whole life, so when the time is right and it’s my own tour and I have eight buses and 150 people on my staff, I want to do the same,” he said. “I want to have a huge production.”

Once the pair bids the tour a fond farewell, would Derulo like to hook up with Gaga in the studio? Well, what do you think? “Absolutely. I definitely feel a collaboration coming on,” he said. “This time last year, in 2008, Gaga had six people on her staff and now has 150. So, I mean, that’s inspiring.”