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Biography
Infobox musical artist| name = Pia Toscano| image = Piaidol.jpg| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Pia Ann Rose Toscano| birth_date = birth_date_and age|1988|10|14| origin = Howard Beach, New York , United States|U.S. | genre = Pop music|Pop | occupation = Singing|Singer | instrument = Singing|Vocals | years_active = 2011–present| website = http://www.piatoscanoofficial.com| label = 19 Recordings/ Interscope Records|Interscope Pia Ann Rose Toscano (born October 14, 1988) is an United States|American singer from Howard Beach, New York . Toscano placed ninth on the American Idol (season 10)|tenth season of American Idol . Considered to be a frontrunner in the competition, her elimination came as a shock to judges Randy Jackson , Jennifer Lopez , and Steven Tyler , all of whom were visibly and vocally upset.cite news |url= http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2011/04/an-american-idol-shocker/1 |date= April 7, 2011 |work= USA Today |title=Nobody saw this coming: An 'American Idol' shocker |author= Mansfield, Brian |accessdate= April 7, 2011cite news |url= http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2011/04/american_idol_shocker_favorite.html |title= 'American Idol' shocker: Favorite Pia Toscano eliminated from show | date= April 7, 2011 |work= The Star Ledger |author= Melisurgo, Len |accessdate= April 7, 2011 Some viewers and media outlets described Toscano's departure as one of the most shocking eliminations in American Idol history.cite web|last=Kaufman |first=Gil |url= http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661617/pia-toscano-american-idol.jhtml |title=Was Pia Toscano's Exit The Most Shocking In 'American Idol' History? |publisher=MTV |date=2011-04-08 |accessdate=2011-07-07cite web|url= http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:PiaToscano,00.html |title=Pia Toscano : News |publisher=People |date= |accessdate=2011-07-07
Early life
Toscano was born on October 14, 1988, to Jane and Pat Toscano and grew up in Howard Beach, New York .Cite news |url= http://forumnewsgroup.blogspot.com/2011/02/from-howard-beach-to-hollywood-chasing.html |title=From Howard Beach to Hollywood: Chasing the Dream |publisher=The Forum South and West |date=February 24, 2011 |accessdate=April 16, 2011Cite news |url= http://www.queenscourier.com/articles/2011/03/05/news/top_stories/doc4d7012007ab0f600670473.txt |title=Howard Beach's Pia Toscano cracks American Idol's top 13 |work= The Queens Courier |date=March 4, 2011 |accessdate=March 12, 2011 Her father worked as a corporate executive.Cite news |url= http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-04-10/local/29420287_1_new-park-pizzeria-work-ethic-national-anthem |title=Pia Toscano may have lost on 'American Idol,' but she won new respect for Queens neighborhood |publisher=NY Daily News |date=April 10, 2011 |accessdate=April 16, 2011 |location=New York |first=Michael |last=Daly She is of Italian people|Italian descent. She began performing in talent shows when she was four, and by the time she was nine, had performed in a local local church|church production of Jesus Christ Superstar .Cite news|url= http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm? newsid=19881214& BRD=2731& PAG=461& dept_id=574908& rfi=6 |author= Landor, Lee |title=Singer Plans To Go From Shea Stadium To Stardom |work= The Queens Chronicle |date=July 30, 2008 |accessdate=March 26, 2011 Toscano was the official National Anthem singer at her middle school, P.S./M.S. 207, and performed at every event including graduation. She attended LaGuardia High School|LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts in New York City and graduated in 2006. Fellow Idol contestant Karen Rodriguez also attended this school.
She performed the National Anthem and " God Bless America " for the Brooklyn Cyclones , the Mets’ minor league team, several times a year for three years. In addition, Toscano was the winner of the New York Mets annual "Anthem Search" competition in 2008 and was selected to sing the National Anthem at a July 2008 game.cite web|url= http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/mets-look-for-another-anthem-idol-1.2745177 |title=Mets look for another anthem 'Idol' |publisher= Newsday.com |date=March 8, 2011 |accessdate=March 12, 2011cite web|url= http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=Da_A4XitJqU|title=Pia Toscano - New York Mets National Anthem|date=July 8, 2008|accessdate=March 2, 2011|location=United States Toscano has also opened for the Barenaked Ladies and performed with Josh Groban at Madison Square Garden.Cite news |url= http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm? newsid=20457619& BRD=2731& PAG=461& dept_id=574908& rfi=6 |author= Gustafson, Anna |title=Howard Beach goes ga-ga for Pia |work= Queens Chronicle |date=March 10, 2011 |accessdate=March 10, 2011
Prior to Idol , Toscano worked as a make-up artist cite web|url= http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/local_news/queens/pia-toscano-american-idol-who-is-dpgoha-20110307-fc1299526893089 |title=Pia Toscano, American Idol's New York Spark |publisher=MyFox New York |date=March 7, 2011 |accessdate=March 12, 2011 and as a wedding singer in a band called "Current Affair".cite news|url= http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/she_the_sing_of_queens_1CubFL0KWkXbRiZLdNfSzL#ixzz1GaFG5CCA |title=Queens-bred 'Idol' fave makes NY proud |work= New York Post |date=March 14, 2011 |accessdate=March 14, 2011 She cites her musical influences as Mariah Carey , Whitney Houston , Celine Dion , Etta James , and Luther Vandross .
Toscano auditioned for Idol four times before. She made it through to Hollywood in season 6, but did not continue further. In 2010, she auditioned for the tenth season of American Idol in East Rutherford, New Jersey , and was put through to Hollywood, this time making it through to the Top 24. Toscano was eliminated from the competition on April 7, 2011, finishing in ninth place.
note|1|Note 1 Due to the judges using their one save on Casey Abrams , the Top 11 remained intact for another week.
Music career
2011–present: First studio album
Following her elimination, Toscano appeared on several talk shows. She performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on April 8, Live with Regis and Kelly on April 11, followed by Today (NBC program)|The Today Show on April 12, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show on April 14. She performed "I'll Stand by You" on the April 26, 2011 episode of Dancing with the Stars (U.S. TV series)|Dancing with the Stars . On May 25, Toscano appeared on Rachael Ray (TV series)|Rachael Ray along with Stefano Langone and Paul McDonald (musician)|Paul McDonald . Furthermore, Toscano performed the National Anthem and "I'll Stand by You" at the Memorial Day Concert in Washington D.C. on May 29, 2011.
The following summer, Toscano toured with the American Idols LIVE& #33; Tour 2011 , which began in West Valley City, Utah on July 6, 2011 and ended in Manila, Philippines on September 20, 2011.
On July 5, 2011, it was announced that Toscano has officially signed with Interscope Records . Her debut single titled " This Time (Pia Toscano song)|This Time " premiered July 11 and was released digitally on July 13.cite news|last=Halperin|first=Shirley|title='American Idol's' Pia Toscano Signs With Interscope Records|url= http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/idol-worship/american-idols-pia-toscano-signs-208053|work=hollywoodreporter.com|accessdate=July 5, 2011|date=July 5, 2011 Toscano performed the single on So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)|So You Think You Can Dance on August 4, Good Morning America on August 12, followed by a performance on Live with Regis and Kelly on August 16. Her debut album is set to be released in the summer of 2012.cite web|title=Pia Toscano Talks to Damon Backstage at the GRAMMYS |url= http://965tic.radio.com/2012/02/09/pia-toscano-talks-to-damon-backstage-at-the-grammys |publisher=96.5 TIC |date= February 9, 2012 Toscano has worked with Rock Mafia on two songs titled "Counterfeit" and "Dreamgirl" for her upcoming album.cite web|title=Pia Toscano Signs Record Deal|url= http://www.wtma.com/rssItem.asp? feedid=115& itemid=29682407|work=1250 WTMA|publisher=ABC News Radio|accessdate=June 21, 2011
Toscano is currently being managed by 19 Entertainment , alongside fellow Idol contestants Haley Reinhart and James Durbin (singer)|James Durbin .cite news|url= http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2011/06/five-for-friday/1 |title=Four for Friday: Idols get management deals and more |publisher=USA Today |date=2011-06-24 |accessdate=2011-07-07
On September 11, 2011, Toscano performed "God Bless America" at the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs game. In addition, Toscano performed "I'll Stand by You" and "This Time" at the Columbus Day parade in New York City. Toscano performed the National Anthem at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship in Miami, Florida on November 20, 2011. She performed the National Anthem before every Los Angeles Kings home game in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs .
Toscano recorded a duet of " The Christmas Song " with Il Volo for their EP Christmas Favorites , which was released on November 21, 2011.
On November 27, 2011, Toscano appeared on Disney Channel|Disney's So Random! , where she performed her single "This Time".
Toscano also co-wrote the song "Wrecking Ball" with Steven Miller for Aubrey O'Day , which was released on April 23, 2012.Citation needed|date=April 2012
Discography
Singles
Year
Single
Peak positions
Album
US cite web
2011
" This Time (Pia Toscano song)
104
TBD
Music videos
Year
Video
2011
"This Time"
References
reflist|2
External links
http://www.piatoscanoofficial.com Official Site
http://www.americanidol.com/contestants/season_10/pia_toscano/ Pia Toscano on American Idol
http://www.myspace.com/piatoscano Official Myspace
imdb name|id=4341524|name=Pia Toscano
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Pia+Toscano Pia Toscano discography at Discogs.com
American Idol 10 Persondata | NAME = Toscano, Pia | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = Singer | DATE OF BIRTH = October 14, 1988 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Howard Beach, New York , United States | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Toscano, Pia Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:American female singers Category:American Idol participants Category:American musicians of Italian descent Category:Musicians from New York
