Less than 24 hours after her shocking early American Idol exit, season 10 finalist Pia Toscano has scored a record deal, UsMagazine.com has exclusively confirmed. The 22-year-old New Yorker -- booted from the Fox series Thursday -- will record her debut album under the Interscope Records imprint, which is chaired by Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine.
"Pia is being signed to a deal with Interscope Records who are rushing her into the studio to record an album ASAP," a source familiar with the contract talks tells Us. "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." As for the contract, the insider says, "Papers are being finalized. It's basically a done deal. She's signing. They rushed everything but she's so excited."
Though Idol fans are still coming to terms with her dismissal, Toscano -- who will hit the road this summer for the Idols LIVE! concert tour -- is taking her bad news in stride. "You don't know for sure why things happen, but you know, it did!" she told reporters during a Friday conference call. "It was my time to go on the show and I'm excited to see what my future holds."
Meanwhile, the judges weren't the only ones shocked by 22-year-old Pia Toscano's shocking American Idol elimination on Thursday. After the fan favorite was voted off the hit FOX singing competition, celebrities flocked to Twitter to voice their frustrations.
"Don't have an Idol habit, but how could the USA vote Pia off?" Tom Hanks, 54, wrote. "I may be done for the season."
Ashton Kutcher, 33, was just as surprised to see the Idol frontrunner go. "Who are the people that vote on American Idol? That's just crazy!" he tweeted. "That Pia girl is dope. [It's] almost criminal."
Several former Idol contestants also chimed in, including Jennifer Hudson, 29, Chris Daughtry, 31, and David Cook, 28. "I can not believe they just eliminated Pia! Really?" Hudson wrote. "As long as she walked away with that voice she will be alright! Just hate to see talent like that go!"
"What the crap?" Daughtry asked. "I thought Pia was THE best singer on the show this year!" Former Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres, 53, also weighed in, telling her 6.3 million followers: "I am shocked and so sad."
"Pia is being signed to a deal with Interscope Records who are rushing her into the studio to record an album ASAP," a source familiar with the contract talks tells Us. "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." As for the contract, the insider says, "Papers are being finalized. It's basically a done deal. She's signing. They rushed everything but she's so excited."
Though Idol fans are still coming to terms with her dismissal, Toscano -- who will hit the road this summer for the Idols LIVE! concert tour -- is taking her bad news in stride. "You don't know for sure why things happen, but you know, it did!" she told reporters during a Friday conference call. "It was my time to go on the show and I'm excited to see what my future holds."
Meanwhile, the judges weren't the only ones shocked by 22-year-old Pia Toscano's shocking American Idol elimination on Thursday. After the fan favorite was voted off the hit FOX singing competition, celebrities flocked to Twitter to voice their frustrations.
"Don't have an Idol habit, but how could the USA vote Pia off?" Tom Hanks, 54, wrote. "I may be done for the season."
Ashton Kutcher, 33, was just as surprised to see the Idol frontrunner go. "Who are the people that vote on American Idol? That's just crazy!" he tweeted. "That Pia girl is dope. [It's] almost criminal."
Several former Idol contestants also chimed in, including Jennifer Hudson, 29, Chris Daughtry, 31, and David Cook, 28. "I can not believe they just eliminated Pia! Really?" Hudson wrote. "As long as she walked away with that voice she will be alright! Just hate to see talent like that go!"
"What the crap?" Daughtry asked. "I thought Pia was THE best singer on the show this year!" Former Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres, 53, also weighed in, telling her 6.3 million followers: "I am shocked and so sad."
