Posted by Emily Exton on 07/26/2011 at 1:43 PM News

The Popdust Files: american idol, haley reinhart

Not winning American Idol has a history of being good to contestants, but it’s never been better to be a loser than right at this very moment. Season 10 second runner-up Haley Reinhart has landed her own record deal, EW reports. Reinhart will join her fellow non-winner Pia Toscano at Interscope Records, and is reportedly already at work on her solo debut. But before the album drops, she’ll be continuing to hone her performing chops by hamming it up on the Idols Live! tour, traveling to every mid-major venue across the country.

Failing to win over an audience largely made up of text messaged-obsessed teenage girls hasn’t gotten in the way of the future solo careers of other female hopefuls like Toscano and runner-up Lauren Alaina, making season 10 one of the most successful iterations in history of the reality giant. Last year’s season nine witnessed three major-label deals: winner Lee DeWyze, runner-up Crystal Bowersox and third-place finisher Casey James, while season eight spawned deals for Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey and Allison Iraheta, who finished one through four, respectively. In order to further the separation of 2011 from the show’s Simon Cowell past in our pop culture memory, a major label should throw one of the other finalists a deal to put season 10 over the edge. We all know you’re on pins and needles waiting for that James Durbin Jacob Lusk record.

With her soulful growl and propensity to be hit on by Steven Tyler, Reinhart’s solo deal is vindication for everyone who has been listening to her version of “House of the Rising Sun” since May.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=035GStnLOaI