Pia Toscano (born October 14, 1988) is an American singer. Toscano placed ninth on the tenth season of American Idol. In 2016, she released the EP Belong. Her debut album I'm Good was released on October 14, 2022.
She performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" 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 Star-Spangled Banner" at a July 2008 game. Toscano has also opened for the Barenaked Ladies and performed with Josh Groban at Madison Square Garden.
Prior to Idol, Toscano worked as a make-up artist and as a wedding singer in a band called "Current Affair". She cites her musical influences as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Etta James, and Luther Vandross.
She was considered a frontrunner in the competition, and her elimination shocked judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Steven Tyler, all three of whom were visibly and vocally upset. Some viewers and media outlets described Toscano's departure as one of the most shocking eliminations in American Idol history. After Idol, Jennifer Lopez and David Foster helped guide her career.
Audition | Auditioner's Choice | "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" | Aretha Franklin | N/A | Advanced |
Hollywood | First Solo | Not aired | N/A | N/A | Advanced |
Hollywood | Group Performance | "Grenade" | Bruno Mars | N/A | Advanced |
Hollywood | Second Solo | Not aired | N/A | N/A | Advanced |
Las Vegas Round | Songs of The Beatles Group Performance | "Can't Buy Me Love" | The Beatles | N/A | Advanced |
Hollywood Round Final | Final Solo | "Doesn't Mean Anything" | Alicia Keys | N/A | Advanced |
Top 24 (12 Females) | Personal Choice | "I'll Stand by You" | The Pretenders | 12 | Advanced |
Top 13 | Your Personal Idol | "All by Myself" | Eric Carmen | 5 | Safe |
Top 12 | Year You Were Born | "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" | Whitney Houston | 7 | Safe |
Top 11 | Motown | "All in Love Is Fair" | Stevie Wonder | 8 | Safe |
Top 11 | Elton John | "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" | Elton John | 4 | Safe |
Top 9 | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame | "River Deep – Mountain High" | Ike & Tina Turner | 7 | Eliminated |
The following summer, Toscano toured with the American Idols Live! 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 had officially signed with Interscope Records. Her debut single titled "This Time" premiered July 11 and was released digitally on July 13. Toscano performed the single on So You Think You Can Dance on August 4, Good Morning America on August 12, and Live with Regis and Kelly on August 16. Toscano had worked with Rock Mafia on two songs titled "Counterfeit" and "Dreamgirl" for her then-upcoming album.
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 Star-Spangled Banner" at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship in Miami, Florida on November 20, 2011.
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'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.
She performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" before every Los Angeles Kings home game in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, the first two rounds of the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals, before the 2014–15 season opener on October 8, 2014, and before Game 2 of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
On August 7, 2012, it was announced that Toscano met with the showrunners of Glee; however, the role she was auditioning for was re-written at the last minute, but the showrunners were hopeful that she would come back for a different role.
On September 4, 2012, Toscano parted ways with Interscope Records and 19 Management and her debut album that she recorded would not be released. Toscano made her film debut in Grace Unplugged in 2013.
On May 30, 2014, Toscano began a six-date summer tour as a background singer for Jennifer Lopez, including appearances on Good Morning America and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
In 2014, Toscano started a collaborative project 7East with singer-songwriter Jared Lee. A single, "I Don't Believe It", was released on October 7, 2014, with a video released on October 28.
In 2015, her collaboration with DJ/producer Jenaux, "Renegades", was released on Enhanced Music.
Toscano released two singles, "Pyro" and "You'll Be King", on April 7, 2016.
In 2017, Toscano joined David Foster's Hitman Tour as a regular featured performer. In 2018, Toscano was a cast member on the music reality Westside. In November 2018, Toscano began touring with Andrea Bocelli as a guest performer.
On May 30, 2022, she performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" at the 33rd Annual Memorial Day Concert. Her debut album I'm Good was released on October 14, 2022.
In February 2024, she performerd "All by Myself", "Vivo per lei" and "Canto della terra" with Andrea Bocelli at the Viña del Mar Song Festival.
In July 2024, she performed her first two concerts as a soloist in Chile. She performed at the Viña del Mar Theater on July 16 and at Movistar Arena on July 18, with guest artists such as Andrés de León and Nico Ruiz.
2015 | "Renegades" | non-album single |
2016 | "Siren" | Aurora |
2017 | "Love Me Again" | non-album single |
2020 | "My Funny Valentine" | |
2021 | "#Wicked4Whitney Houston" | |
2011 | "This Time" | Marc Klasfeld |
2015 | "Renegades" | Robert Styles |
2016 | "Siren" (Vicetone ft. Pia Toscano) | |
2016 | "You'll Be King" | Robert Styles |
2020 | "Never Alone" (Emmanuel Kelly ft. Pia Toscano) | Henry Finn |
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