by Gina Scarpa

 

Last night, everyone (from the fans to the judges to the contestants themselves) was shocked when Ryan Seacrest revealed that Pia Toscano had been eliminated from American Idol. The powerhouse singer earned rave reviews all season long and was in the bottom three for the first time this season. Today, she spoke to RealityWanted and reporters in a press conference call about her Idol experience, her thoughts on her elimination, and her plans for the future.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You were looking at the judges when you were eliminated. What was going through your mind and do you wish they still had their save for you?
A. Pia: No, I mean I was just really trying to stay composed. I was really emotional. It's scary being up there and you lose years off your life. It was terrifying. I feel like everything happens for a reason. I looked at the judges because... your mind just goes blank!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You must be looking forward to going on tour. Are you going to change up your songs?
A. Pia: Yeah, the tour is going to be so much fun! It's kind of more of a laid back situation. I'm definitely looking forward to that. I'm gonna do my uptempos and I'm gonna do my ballads.

 

Q. Why do you think that the voters didn't show up for you?
A. Pia: I've been asked that a lot and I really don't know. The night before, I had a weird feeling in my stomach. I felt good about my performance. I had a blast doing it. I said to my parents, "I feel like I'm going to be in the bottom three." They said, "You're gonna be fine." When it happened, I kind of expected it. It was weird.

 

Q. Is there anything you would've done differently?
A. Pia: Absolutely not! If you make a mistake, it just helps you grow. You learn from those mistakes. I truly agree with everything the judges said to me.

 

Q. Randy always said to never do Whitney, Mariah, or Celine but you did them and scored with them. What did you think about that?
A. Pia: Those are things I've grown up listening to. I just tried my best and did my best with them. They went over well and I'm thankful everyone enjoyed my performance.

 

Q. The judges often say to do something different and then the person is voted out. Is it overemphasized to do something different?
A. Pia: It's nobody's fault and the judges were right to change it up. I had no regrets going into it. It wasn't even that much out of my comfort zone. Back home, I was doing uptempo stuff, more so than ballads. I know I have to get more comfortable on stage. I'm a little shy sometimes and I get a little bit of stage fright.

 

Q. Which judge did you most identify with and what was the best piece of advice you got after everything happened?
A. Pia: I have a real connection with Randy, Steven, and Jennifer. They're so nurturing and last night was such a blur. I was very overwhelmed and they were in shock. It was shocking to see them like that. They were like, "If you ever need anything, call us. We're here for you and we love you." I really needed that at that time.

 

Q. How have the last 12 hours been for you, especially getting support from celebrities?
A. Pia: I was upset to be leaving the contestants and I was upset I wasn't going to get to perform again. I was trying to stay positive but to have the support of my fans and so many celebrities is amazing. It's the best feeling in the world.

 

Q. What sort of music do you expect to make?
A. Pia: Moving forward, I would definitely go in the pop genre with an R&B influence. I wanna have power ballads and dance hits.

 

Q. Are there positive aspects to leaving?
A. Pia: Absolutely! I got to work with so many incredible producers. So many doors are going to open for me. They already have. I'm looking forward to going on tour. It's gonna be great. I'm excited to see what my future holds.

 

 

Be sure to tune in when the Top 8 take the stage on American Idol, Wednesday at 8/7c on FOX.

 

(Image courtesy of FOX)

 

Follow Gina @ginascarpa