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After performing her first single, "This Time," during an American Idols Live! tour stop last week (July 6), "Idol" favorite Pia Toscano reunited with Ryan Seacrest today (July 11) to give the studio version a proper premiere. Listen below, via "On Air With Ryan Seacrest."
'Idol' Contestant Pia Toscano Performs First Single Live
Toscano, 22, placed ninth in the "Idol" competition, much to the surprise of both viewers and the judges, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson. But as past seasons of "Idol" have shown, winning does not necessarily mean success, and losing does not denote failure. Toscano has serious potential to shine with her first single, written by Ester Dean, who is behind Rihanna's "Rude Boy," "S&M," "What's My Name" and Nicki Minaj's "Superbass."
Lyrically, Toscano finds her strength -- from what sounds to be an emotionally or even physically abusive relationship -- on the midtempo pop ballad, belting out that she's "mad as hell, ain't gonna take it no more" and that she's "gonna free herself." "This time, I'm gonna do it my way / This time, I'm finding out the hard way," Toscano sings during the track's chorus.
Toscano, who recently inked a deal with Interscope Records, is expected to release a full album later this year, on which she teams with producer Rodney Jerkins, among others. Of the signing, Toscano said, "[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."
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