Pia Toscano Album: Ousted 'American Idol' Finalist Getting Record Contract

Maybe getting eliminated from "American Idol" wasn't such a bad thing, after all.

Pia Toscano, whose ouster this week from the competition shocked the nation, has landed a record contract with Interscope Records, Us Weekly reports.

"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," the magazine reported on Saturday.

Toscano's elimination drew outrage from both the judges and devoted "Idol" fans, as her performance the night before was considered one of the best.

"I have no idea what just happened here," judge Jennifer Lopez said when the result was handed down. "I'm shocked, I'm angry, I don't even know what to say."

Toscano had her own troubles handling the shock, too; she had a moment of dizziness leaving the stage, and had to be tended to by a medic.

On Friday, the day after her elimination, she handled the situation with aplomb and perspective, praising the judges and other contestant in an interview with TV Guide.

For more on Pia's record contract, click over to Us Weekly. To watch Pia's Wednesday performance of "River Deep, Mountain High," watch below.

WATCH:

Comments

[Difu Mogou]

12:44 AM on 04/14/2011

I think Randy, Stevel and J.Lo are crzy, they should saved the vote for Pia not casey, their saved vote went out too early. James, Jacob, Paul and Stefano should leave before Pia, she should be the last standing. I stop watching the show after Pia left. The rest sucks. I feel like this is so unfair to Pia. Girl, if you have a record out in the future, smack your CD to those who didn't vote for you. Good Luck, you don't need American Idol to get

[Ken Detweiler]

03:31 PM on 04/12/2011

Her agent is the one who should be getting contracts. What a perfect publicity contrivance.

[Exene]

02:19 PM on 04/12/2011

Coming soon to a safeway store near you. . ..

[MikePS65]

10:33 PM on 04/11/2011

Oh boy, an album that's put together as quickly as possible and rush-released to take advantage of fleeting fame. I'm sure it'll be great.

[zippyHBpinhead]

07:57 PM on 04/11/2011

I don't know why this hasn't been mentioned. Isn't it possible that our favorite show is FIXED? I just got word from some record producer friends that Pia was dropped by Idol b/c votes don't mean anything. She was dropped b/c some nice people in Howard Beach own her/her recording contract and Idol wanted all of her and they wouldn't budge or they couldn't come to an agreement, so Idol had her "voted off". This actually makes more sense, I know she is stiff and could be a better performer. But voted off at number 9? Come on... Let's face it, corporate America runs this country. It has never been a democracy!

[Ken Detweiler]

03:27 PM on 04/12/2011

Of course it's "fixed". This is television - not democracy. Hmmm... OTOH, remember the Al Gore fiasco :-/

[ydrittmann]

07:32 PM on 04/11/2011

Gwen Stefani killed her.

[MissingAmerica]

06:22 PM on 04/11/2011

Looks like this beautiful and talented young woman got the last laugh! Congratulations! Can't wait to get her first release!

[notmzbehavin]

07:14 PM on 04/11/2011

Actually, she won't be laughing yet; the record deal is only a rumor, according to Interscope.

[bluguy8]

04:03 PM on 04/11/2011

with the exception of Carrie Underwood , who remembers the winners of idol. The better singers Like Jennifer Hudson, Daughtry,Adam Lambert have all gone onto careers . The winners? Last years was just a waste .

Pia wasn't that great- she has a nice voice , but no stage presence. shes stiff as a board & unemotional. If your going to sing ballads you have to have emotions

[ydrittmann]

07:28 PM on 04/11/2011

Yea, like Daughtry.

[Exene]

02:23 PM on 04/12/2011

I agree. She was technically good, but painfully boring. She would make a good vocal coach.

[edrem2]

03:23 PM on 04/11/2011

Remember Tamyra, Daughtry and the list goes on of eliminated contestants who probably should have won AI. If you're good you'll be ok whether you win or not - judging from the success of recent non-winners (Lambert, Daughtry) versus recent winners( who won the last two seasons?), its probably better for your career not to win ...

[thefooligan5]

03:59 PM on 04/11/2011

Exactly. At least if you don't win yet you're talented you sort of have a choice of where you want your career to go. If you win you are guaranteed a start of your music career but you are shoe-horned into a contract and company. They may make good television but not always good music dealings. Losing is probably much better.

On a related note, I have no idea how Naima Adedapo hasn't been offered a modelling contract yet. She is stunning and exactly the time of 'worldly beauty' most of these firms are looking for. I'm a little shocked.

[Nanaama]

03:08 PM on 04/11/2011

The bottom line is Pia got the least number of votes, that should mean something. What ever was going on with the voters, they did not think Pia had done enough to win their votes. Millions of people voted, and now millions of people are going on daily about Pia being the best. So why did all these millions, now moaning and groaning about Pia getting the boot, why did't they vote for her? A record contract means nothing, Catherine McFee, a case similar to Pia's, has not had a successful career, in spite of all predictions about her getting a record contract.

[Christ Johnson1]

04:30 PM on 04/11/2011

she doesn't have a white name, that's why

[Bill J4321]

04:43 PM on 04/11/2011

So, situated similarly, a Pia Anderson could have won but a Pia Toscano could not?

Absurd.

Remember Fantasia Barrino? Is that a 'white name?'

The only 'white' name that exists is 'White,' and I don't remember any winners past or present named 'White.'

[MickyD10]

05:12 PM on 04/11/2011

In my mind it's more likely that people who liked Pia thought she was so far out front of the pack that they thought they didn't have to vote as much as fans of the other contestants did. This type of thing has happened before with the likes of Jennifer Hudson and Chris Daughtry where they, the pre-supposed "winner" gains high praise from the judges from the get-go, and then is "let go" early.

It's been my experience watching my kids (who love this program) that the lower in the order they feel their favorite is the more they vote. The better their favorite is doing in their minds, the less they vote. And then, there is always the "Vote for the Worst" internet site which has been around since season two, and has been gaining in strength a little more each year since. This year they have chosen Paul McDonald as the worst. If past seasons are any indication expect Paul to be around until they get down around 5 or 6.

[carljr]

01:20 PM on 04/11/2011

Has anybody taken two seconds to thin how poor Stefano Langone must have felt last week?

Everyone, judges included, were basically saying that Stefano should have gone packing given some "gross miscarriage of justice."

But Stefano performed, played by the rules, got votes and he's safe. What injustice was inflicted on anybody?

Did anyone at that point congratulate Stefano and wish Pia all the best? No, they didn't.
Tacky, childish, and stupid --- especially you JLo..

We all need to get back to reality and remember that on AI the home audience votes and someone goes home --- end of story. There's no dark force or conspiracy or travesty of justice being inflicted on anybody.

AI is singing competition and it murders no martyrs, puts down no revolutions and fixes no fights. While I absolutely hate to agree with Sarah Palin on anything, her observation that the show has been elevated into a misguided and foolish life and death struggle may be the only thing the ex-Governor ever said that made a little sense. It's American Idol folks, not an Presidential election. Not all votes in this country are badly handled or fixed.

Let's see if we can try and view it as a serious singing competition and cease to elevate it into a "Fox News-like," white hot, bloodsport controversy.

[1bigcat]

02:06 PM on 04/11/2011

I agree with you carljr. I felt bad for Stefano. I really like his voice and felt Pia didn't do that great of a job. Yes, she has a beautiful voice, but she can't perform to an audience. She comes off as boring.

[Edo33]

12:59 PM on 04/11/2011

She wasn't very good, and this has precedence. There have been other "perfect" singers who simply don't connect to the audience or the music and they get voted off sooner rather than later- she sings like she's in love with the sound of her own voice. I didn't understand the endless adulation of the judges, but I bet Simon would have had real criticism for her.

As for the recording contract, clearly Iovine has a great deal to be coaching on Idol- I don't think it will go very far for her, all the same. She's just not very compelling, in the final analysis.

[carljr]

01:23 PM on 04/11/2011

100% agree...and being styled into a designer diaper by Gwen Stefani kind of sealed her fate. Pia was loud but the performance was not compelling. Here we had Stefano who can connect with an audience but doesn't sing so good and Pia who sings real good but can't connect. If you think about the judging comments about the importance of connection why were they all so surprised.

The other famous case in point here, Kathryn McFee, who looke fabulous sang great but didn't know how to perform.

[bswell]

01:33 PM on 04/11/2011

The question is, in 2011, does the world need another Connie Francis? She has a big voice, but a little personality. She performs like a wedding singer.

[bluguy8]

04:05 PM on 04/11/2011

LOL- very funny , but I agree. no stage prescence

[ydrittmann]

07:30 PM on 04/11/2011

She'll cover "Please Stop Slapping My Face". I miss SCTV.

[Jamal Alexander]

12:50 PM on 04/11/2011

She's going to be just fine. American Idol is on its last leg. The show has produced only one successful idol (Carrie Underwood).

[1bigcat]

02:09 PM on 04/11/2011

Hello? What about Kelly Clarkson and some of the rockers like David Cook, Jennifer Hudson?

[Jamal Alexander]

10:36 AM on 04/12/2011

None of the idol winners have been successful as Underwood. When was the last time that Kelly Clarkson or David Cook hav ever had a number one hit?

[bluguy8]

04:06 PM on 04/11/2011

thats not true. But she is the most successful of the winners.

[Jamal Alexander]

10:37 AM on 04/12/2011

It's very true. Think about it.

[Edogg62]

12:43 PM on 04/11/2011

Yahoo! ANOTHER Celine Dion... just what the world needs... writers, producers, tragically beautiful packages to sell to an all-too-willing public. It's simply tiring. If Joni Mitchell or Bonnie Raitt tried to make it today they wouldn't get in the front door of a record industry that has ZERO vision. Sad.

Awards shows fixed? That's IMPOSSIBLE!! Ha ha ha. I had a buddy who worked at MTV in the days when it was remotely relevant (and related to music) and he was working there in the midst of phone-ins for various awards... he was told to skew the numbers to give a "Best New Artist" win to a hip-hop artist vs. a "rock" guy... Shocking I know... ha ha ha.

[Joshua Kaanaana]

12:55 PM on 04/11/2011

Really? Lady Gaga may have a nice body but she's made it in the industry because of her style and her talent. Her face isn't exactly the most raved about beauty in the world.

And what of Adele? She's overweight and isn't afraid to sweat it up yet she's been number one in sales for weeks.

Amy Winehouse is known for her voice, not her face OR body.

Sure most of the big hitters today seem perfect but they have teams to make them look that way. There are so many more people that I'm sure can be listed but it'd be silly to attempt it.

[GirlDayz]

12:30 PM on 04/11/2011

Good Luck Pia!