UPDATE: An Interscope rep tells Brian Mansfield of USA Today that “This Pia thing is all just a rumor.”
According to the gossip guy at AOL.com, Interscope wants to sign ousted American Idol contestant, Pia Toscano ASAP as previously reported, but 19 is standing in the way.
“No way do the producers want a contestant who was kicked off having a hit record when the winner hasn’t even been announced yet, ” another ‘Idol’ insider tells me. “The first hit song has always been from the winner and this year will be no different.”
If you start having singers who were voted off charting before the show has wrapped, then the entire process loses credibility, my source contends.
“This is about protecting the brand, not about protecting Pia, ” the insider says. “She can record as many songs as she wants, but ‘Idol’ will refuse to allow them to be released for now until the show is over.”
This sounds completely credible to me. Having a 9th place finisher with a hit record before the show even ends makes winner seem inconsequential. What Idol needs now, desperately is a successful WINNER.
The record label interests vs the show’s interests have always conflicted to a certain degree, but UMG seems way more aggressive in perusing their own agenda than Sony ever was. We could have a popcorn-worthy battle brewing between UMG and 19 kids! Pull up the lawn chairs.
