Question for Catholics – why pray to the saints?

I’ve heard it described as being the same as asking a friend to pray for you. It just doesn’t make sense to me. It seems to me like going in prayer to a saint is a form of idolatry. Jesus tells us how to pray to the father, not to pray to anyone else. And if I have direct access to the father through Jesus, why would I want to pray to anyone else?

To clarify, I’m not asking from a place of hostility, just looking for clarity on this matter.