In interviews following their elimination from the show, “American Idol” contestants often claim that his or her road to stardom has not ended, and that good things are to come on the horizon. But, if previous seasons are any indication, continued fame is hard to come by, unless your name is Chris Daughtry or Jennifer Hudson.
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Is that the case for any of the also-rans of last season? Or have the men and women of Idol’s tenth season shown more promise than some of their immediate predecessors? Read on to find out what some of last season’s favorites have been up to since the cameras stopped rolling last May.
Scotty McCreery
| “The Trouble With Girls”
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The deep-voiced reigning winner is leaving no room for doubt concerning his relevance. Since being crowned the “Idol” champ last May, McCreery has become the most successful victor from the show since 2008 winner
Casey Abrams
| Casey sings about getting signed
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One of “Idol”‘s most eclectic contestants ever, Abrams always had viewers wondering what he would pull next, whether it was performing ’40s jazz standard “Nature Boy” with his signature upright bass, or enraging hoards of grunge fans with his decidedly un-Casey-like rendition of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Earlier this month, Abrams announced via YouTube (in song, no less!) that he had been signed to Concord Music Group. Few details are known at this point, but if the bearded wonder’s video is any indication, he thinks “it will be pretty good.” Well, that’s swell.
Stefano Langone
| Stefano and Casey “On the Road”
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The soulful 22-year-old was the comeback kid of last season, returning from near-elimination to pull off a berth in the Top 13 via a stunning wild card performance of “I Need You Now” and maintaining momentum, finally placing seventh. Apparently Hollywood Records noticed, as the singer inked a deal with the label earlier this month. Reportedly, the singer’s debut will feature a number of pop/R&B tunes, some of which may be sung partly in Spanish. Could Langone become “Idol”‘s first contestant to resonate in the Latin market?
Pia Toscano
| “This Time”
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Years after the show has met its end, Pia Toscano’s early elimination will still reign as one of the most shocking moments in the show’s history. But don’t feel too sorry for the 23-year-old. The New York native was signed to 19 Entertainment / Interscope in July, and released debut single “This Time” a week later, which reached No. 16 on Heatseekers Songs and No. 36 on Pop Digital Songs. She has since performed the song on a variety of TV engagements, including “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Live with Regis and Kelly.” Toscano’s first album with Interscope is set to drop this year, and she has reportedly worked with production team Rock Mafia ( Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Sick Puppies) on a few songs.
Chris Medina
| “What Are Words”
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The “Idol” hopeful didn’t even make it to the live show portion of season 10, but Medina has nonetheless accomplished more than quite a few of his peers that made it into the Top 13. The Chicagoan, who touched the hearts of many following the story of his fiancée, who suffered a brain injury from a car accident, released first single “What Are Words” the day after he was eliminated in February. Though only making a small ripple on American airwaves (No. 83 on the Hot 100), the song found resonance in across the sea in Scandinavia, reaching No. 1 in both Norway and Sweden and remaining there for 11 and eight weeks, respectively. His debut album of the same name was released in November on Eccentric Music.