Pia Toscano

Pia Toscano is an American singer from Howard Beach, New York. Toscano placed ninth on the tenth season of American Idol. Considered by some 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 upset and vocal. One media outlet described Toscano's departure as one of the most shocking eliminations in American Idol history.

Toscano was born in 1988 to Jane and Pat Toscano and grew up in Howard Beach, New York. Her father worked as a corporate executive. She is of Italian descent. She began performing in talent shows when she was four, and by the time she was nine, had performed in a local church production of Jesus Christ Superstar. 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 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. 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 Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Etta James, and Luther Vandross.