'American Idol' Star Pia Toscano Officially Signs Record Deal

By Kelly Fisher Posted Jul 6th 2011 10:00AM

Those hoping to hear more from 'American Idol' star Pia Toscano won't have to wait too much longer. As expected, the reality show cast-off has officially signed a record deal with Interscope Records and will drop her first single, 'This Time,' on July 12.

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the deal, and Toscano's debut album is expected to drop later this year.

"I am thrilled to be joining the Interscope and 19 Recordings family. [Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman] Jimmy Iovine was an amazing mentor during my time on 'Idol' and I'm looking forward to working with him and everyone at Interscope Records and 19 Recordings. This is a dream come true," Toscano said in a statement.

The singer, who was ousted in ninth place from the 10th season of 'Idol', will work on the album with producer Rodney Jerkins, who says fans can expect a "big diva-sounding record."

There's no doubt, especially considering her first single comes right from Esther Dean, the songstress behind Rihanna's "S&M," "Rude Boy"" and "What's My Name."

Though her early exit from 'Idol' left some people in shock -- she was considered a front-runner to take the 'Idol' title -- news of a record deal isn't. The singer was reportedly approached by Interscope almost immediately after her elimination.

"Starting [Thursday] night, after the show, Interscope told her they wanted her, and first thing [Friday] morning, Interscope brass started calling every top songwriter and producer in town to get an album together and rush release it," a source revealed earlier this year.

Tags: American Idol, pia toscano

Comments

(36)

Wednesday 06 July

By Amanda

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She has a decent voice, but no personality at all to me. Just about everyone else was on stage singing and entertaining, being creative with their choice in songs and with their performances and just didn't get that from her at all.

By AC

Glad she was kicked off - she's got far too much attitude for an American Idol....she is a good singer but not what Am Idol is about

By jen

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She was terrible one way of singing she won't make it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By michael mailley

pia is the best and always was america got it totally wrong she will be well above all the others as far as career wise

By paula

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Pia is a pretty girl with a huge voice. She reminds me of Celine Dion some. I loved Scotty and I'm glad he won Idol, his single is at #17 on the Country Billboard Chart after only 5 weeks, he was at #22 last week. I'm sure that many of the idol contestants will do well with their careers and I wish Pia luck with hers!

By dotlhs56

Congratulations! You are so beautiful and sing so good. I loved seeing you on Idol.

By debbie

I
didn't like Jimmy Iovine as the mentor. I think he gave crappy advice!

By Kell

Pia wasn't good at all. Record deal? Hmmm, really?

By Ann

Great news...too bad that the person with the least talent won this year.

By Craigo

Pia was the most talented singer on Idol this season. She was let go early because the AI production team is very poor at statistics and basic mathematics.

Thursday 07 July

By LIz

I hope it isn't a bunch of sappy ballads, she has a good voice - I hope she finds some range of styles to sing otherwise we will be board to tears.

By DD

I hope her album flops. I can't stand her for what she did to her boyfriend after he flew there to see her and she dumped him for Mark Ballas (Dancing with the stars). If Mark has any brains at all he'll dump her before she moves on to bigger and better.

By Patty

I have to agree with some! Pia had no stage presence at all. Her voice is okay but without the stage persona, she'll never perform and make it in that way. Best she can hope for is that people like her voice enough to buy her records and don't want to see her in concert.

She and Mark Ballas are over. Keep up with the news!

By Mary

She has a nice voice, but when she was on Idol I found her rather boring. That is why she got voted off mid way. I have a feeling she will not sell a lot CDs. I wish her luck though. If you look around in the music business, you see a lot of former AI participants that have really so so careers (even some of the winners and the 2nd place finishers). There are so many of them now and they never seem to give up.

By the_fool

Many times the American Idol second, third, fourth place singers do better than the winners. She is doing well if she was in ninth and got a record deal.

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