Record Company Signs 'American Idol''s Pia Toscano

Pia Toscano's early "American Idol" elimination may have been a blessing in disguise. The overnight singing sensation has been offered a recording contract, according to Us Weekly.

Interscope Records scooped up the burgeoning star. A source told the mag that the label "starting [Thursday] night right after the show, Interscope told her they wanted her and first thing [Friday] morning Interscope…started calling every top songwriter and producer in town to get an album together and rush release it." "Idol" mentor Jimmy Iovine is chairman of Interscope.

Has Pia signed on the dotted line yet? The source said, "Papers are being finalized. It's basically a done deal. She's signing. They rushed everything, but she's so excited."

Pia's elimination caught America off guard, but executive producer Nigel Lythgoe was not taken by surprise. He told Yahoo, "I know the [voting] results, so I know she was never a frontrunner."

To avoid such upsets in future "Idol" seasons, Nigel said they'll consider tweaking the show's format. Using the model of his other reality competition "So You Think You Can Dance," "America votes for the bottom three and then the judges decide who goes home…I think that will be thought about."

The "American Idol" contestants still campaigning for the title will sing another tune Wednesday night on Fox.