Pia Toscano's Idol Elimination Shocked Everyone But Pia Toscano, Who Says She "Kind of Expected It"

Former frontrunner told us today what sparked her premonition after Wednesday's performance show

By Aimee Curran Apr 08, 2011 7:30 PMTags
Pia ToscanoAlberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

The world is still reeling from one of American Idol's most shocking eliminations in the show's history, but one person is not surprised: the fallen favorite herself, Pia Toscano.

"I kind of expected it," she told us today. So what sparked her premonition after Wednesday's performance show?

MORE: Live at American Idol: Surprising Elimination Has Everyone in an Uproar

"I go a lot on feeling and what's in my gut," she told us. "After my performance I felt something weird. I said to my parents, 'I kind of feel like I'm going to be in the bottom three tomorrow.' When it happened I kind of expected it. Usually when I feel something, it happens. I had a good time at my performance, I don't have any regrets so I don't know why I felt that way."

Some have speculated that her lack of a fully polished stage presence contributed to her fall from the top nine, and Pia agrees that shyness "and a little bit of stage fright" is something she is working to overcome. 

"It's really intimidating to go out there every week, so it's something I have to work on as a performer, and I'm going to do so and make sure for the tour that I really own that stage," she told us.

And as "expected" as she believed her elimination to be, Pia was so overcome after the announcement that she was basically carried offstage by what turned out to be two medics.

Thankfully, Pia is fine now, all things considered, and grateful for the overwhelming amount of support shown by fans and numerous celebrities. But Pia doesn't want anyone to think Stefano Langone isn't deserving of his spot in the top eight. 

"Stefano is a very good friend of mine and he's an incredible person," she told us. "The whole time I was sitting down with him in the bottom three he was just saying, 'You're not going anywhere, I'm the one that's going.' He was so supportive of me. He was so upset last night with the outcome of the situation and he deserves to be in the top eight. He's an incredible talent and everything happens the way it's supposed to happen."

Even with her journey being cut short, she still supports the judges' decision to save Casey Abrams and is gracefully accepting her elimination. 

"It was my time and Casey deserved that save. He wasn't ready to go and it wasn't his time to go," she said. "He's such an incredible musician and an incredible singer and beautiful person."

With Pia out of the competition, many have vowed to stop watching American Idol, which is a decision Pia hopes fans will reconsider.

"The show is great," she said. "It happens. Everyone is going to get voted off. There is only one winner, so you have to be positive about the situation and move forward. I definitely think people should continue to watch. I think the show is amazing."

So who does Pia think will go home with the title of American Idol?

"It's anybody's game right now. All of the contestants are extremely strong," she told us. "You truly just don't know. I know each and every one of the contestants that are in it right now deserve to be there."

We gotta say Pia is a class act and we're sorry to see her go, but she's definitely not crying about it. 

"It is what it is, and I'm happy to have made it as far as I did."

Were you a Pia fan? Will you go see her on tour this summer? Will you still watch American Idol with Pia gone? Let us know in the comments!

VIDEO: See Pia's shocking exit