X Factor USA contender Rachel Crow has signed contracts with Columbia Records and Nickelodeon.
The 13-year-old, who made the quarter-finals during the Fox reality competition's first season late last year, has signed a joint record contract with Columbia and Simon Cowell's own Syco.
Crow told The Hollywood Reporter: "It's been amazing. A couple [of] days after the elimination I just found myself sitting home asking myself, 'What am I going to do now?' And I never would've thought that this is what I was going do now. So, it's pretty amazing. I'm very thankful and I feel very blessed to have all this."
She also spoke of her enthusiasm at sharing a label with award-winning artists such as Beyoncé and Adele.
Crow has also signed a talent deal with Nickelodeon which reportedly includes her own musical comedy pilot. She will also appear in at least five episodes of upcoming series Fred: The Show as Starr, a young girl who wants to become famous.
Nickelodeon's Paula Kaplan said that Crow is "an original... [she's] funny, genuine and has raw talent and a passion for performing".
Fellow X Factor contenders Brian 'Astro' Bradley, Marcus Canty and Chris Rene have all joined first season winner Melanie Amaro on Epic Records.
Watch Rachel Crow perform 'Nothing on You' by Bruno Mars and BoB during The X Factor below:
[Tags:] Rachel Crow, Simon Cowell, Astro, Brian Bradley, Marcus Canty, Chris Rene, Melanie Amaro, Beyoncé, Adele, Syco, Columbia Records, US TV, Music, X Factor USA
'X Factor's' Rachel Crow Lands Nickelodeon TV Deal, Columbia Records Contract
The 14-year-old has also landed a recurring role on Nick's new comedy series, "Fred: The Show."
Rachel Crow may not have won X Factor, but she is now poised to make several dreams come true all at once.
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She has scored a talent deal with Nickelodeon that includes starring in her own musical comedy series pilot. In addition, she has been signed by Sony Music-owned Columbia Records in partnership with her X Factor coach Simon Cowell’s company, Syco.
“It's been amazing,” Crow tells The Hollywood Reporter. “A couple days after the elimination I just found myself sitting home asking myself, ‘What am I going to do now?’ And I never would've thought that this is what I was going do now. So, it's pretty amazing. I'm very thankful and I feel very blessed to have all this.”
That isn’t all. Nickelodeon has also cast Crow in a recurring role on the network's new comedy series, Fred: The Show starring Lucas Cruikshank. She is already on-set shooting the role of Starr, an eccentric girl who acts and sings and, as her name indicates, wants to be famous. She will appear in at least five episodes airing in the spring.
“Rachel is an original,” Nickelodeon's Talent Strategy and West Coast Operations EVP Paula Kaplan says. “She’s funny, genuine and has raw talent and a passion for performing. We’re delighted to be home to her first acting project and think she is poised to join the ranks of our next generation of Nick stars.”
It may be a shock for fans to hear that the teen landed at Nick rather than Disney. Even while still competing in the Fox talent competition, reports spread that she was already in talks with Disney.
"It's definitely going to come as a surprise for a lot of people," she says. "I get asked on a daily basis from all my wonderful friends, 'So, Disney, huh?' It's hard to keep a secret, but it's really cool because now I'm happy to be able to share it with everyone."
The record deal with Columbia Records places Crow in the position to name some major stars as labelmates, including Beyonce, Adele, Celine Dione, and Barbra Streisand. She plans to begin work on her first album later this year.
"Columbia was awesome for me. This is the top, which is really cool," Crow says excitedly. "Beyonce and Adele. And I'm in the same family as them, which is really awesome."
As for the album she's planning to record, Crow says she wants her music to be "spunky and there's definitely gonna be some high notes in there. And it's just gonna be me."
The news of Crow's signing came the same day THR's sources tell us that runner-up Josh Krajcik is working on his debut album and has landed a deal with Sony, as well. Other Season 1 graduates who’ve locked down label deals at Sony include Chris Rene, Astro, Marcus Canty and, of course, winner Melanie Amaro who also pocketed $5 million.
The Colorado native, who was brought up by adoptive parents, became a fan favorite on the Fox competition for her ability to bring maturity and skill to songs that seemed beyond her young age. After an emotional elimination, she placed fifth overall in the competition. She says that she definitely learned a lot from the competition that she'll take with her into ther future projects.
“I'll remember to stay true to who you are and just be yourself, because if you don't, then you'll lose sight of the reason that you started,” she says of her biggest X Factor lesson. “All the experiences that I've had and all the things that I had to go through just to be here today, it makes me who I am. I think there's a song that says ‘All your scars make you who you are," you know, all the bad scars and the good scars.”
Crow is managed by Azoff, Geary, Paul, Smith Management.
The X Factor Singing Sensation Rachel Crow Signed by Nickelodeon for Television Deal and Sony Music for Recording Deal With Columbia Records/Syco
Talent Deal Includes New Comedy Music Pilot for Fourteen-Year-Old Singer and Recurring Role in the New Nick Series FRED: THE SHOW
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 22, 2012 /Nickelodeon Press Release via PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon has signed fourteen-year-old singing sensation Rachel Crow to an overall talent deal, it was announced today by Paula Kaplan, Executive Vice President, Talent Strategy and West Coast Operations. As part of the new pact, Nickelodeon is developing a comedy series for Crow, who is best known for her buzz-worthy performances on Fox's singing competition series The X Factor.
In addition, Crow has been signed by Columbia Records/Syco, label home to some of the world's leading recording artists.
"It's such an honor to be signed to Columbia Records," said Crow. "To think that I am signed to the same label as my idols is a dream come true. I can't wait to get in the studio and start making music." Added Crow, "And I am so excited to now be a part of the Nickelodeon family. I grew up watching Nick, and I'm a huge fan."
Simon Cowell, The X Factor judge and Rachel Crow's mentor during the show said, "I am incredibly happy for Rachel. This girl has it. We saw her potential at the first audition and Nickelodeon and Columbia are the right homes for her."
"Rachel is an original," said Kaplan. "She's funny, genuine and has raw talent and a passion for performing. We're delighted to be home to her first acting project and think she is poised to join the ranks of our next generation of Nick stars."
In addition to plans for her to star in a new pilot for the network, Crow is slated to appear in a recurring role in Nickelodeon's new comedy series FRED: THE SHOW appearing opposite Lucas Cruikshank. Crow will play Starr, an imaginative, confident but awkward teenager. Like Fred, Starr's self-perception doesn't match up with how the world sees her. To her classmates, she seems a bit eccentric, but in her own mind, Starr is a wildly talented actress and singer and ready to break out of her boring town. FRED: THE SHOW airs on Friday nights.
From Colorado, Rachel Crow was fostered as a young baby by Barbara and Kelly Crow. Crow sang her first song (Faith Hill's "Breathe") at 18 months old and first performed in public at age six as part of her school's talent show. Her parents brought her to Los Angeles in 2010 to support her dream of being a performer and she auditioned at age 13 for The X Factor in early 2011. After being chosen as a contestant out of over 100,000 people who auditioned for season 1 of The X Factor (USA), she wowed audiences with her powerful voice and bubbly personality and placed fifth in the competition for the season. A fan favorite and darling among the judges, L.A. Reid deemed her a "funky, feisty singer with soul" with Simon Cowell declaring that audiences would be "hearing a lot more about her."
Rachel is managed by Jared Paul and Joshua Russak for Azoff, Geary, Paul, Smith Management.
NICKELODEON
Nickelodeon, now in its 32nd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 17 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).
COLUMBIA RECORDS
One of the most respected and successful record labels in the world, Columbia Records is home to established superstars and exciting new talent. Columbia Records is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment.
Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.
SYCO & THE X FACTOR
Syco Entertainment is a joint venture between Simon Cowell and Sony Music. Syco's television assets include the global franchises The X Factor and Got Talent. THE X FACTOR was created by Syco Television and is produced by Syco Television and FremantleMedia. Local versions of The X Factor are produced in more than 40 territories and the US version of The X Factor airs in over 162 countries. Artists discovered by The X Factor format have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, including 110 number ones, 270 top 10, and 501 top 50 releases.
Syco Music is the record label home for such diverse international recording artists as Labrinth, One Direction, Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle and Il Divo. Syco Music works in partnership with other Sony Music labels to launch the careers of many artists discovered through The X Factor series, including in the UK; JLS, Olly Murs, Diana Vickers, Alexandra Burke, Matt Cardle, Rebecca Ferguson, One Direction and Cher Lloyd.
Open Call Auditions Starting March 14 in Kansas City, MO. More dates and information on open calls and MyStudio HD Recording Studios available on website.
The X Factor Season 2: Conference Call With Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid
Q. How excited are you for Rachel Crow and the big news she announced today? A. Simon: It's incredible...referring to the week where Rachel was kicked off and I can recall sprinting on to the stage and saying to her, look, I genuinely believe this is the best thing that has happened to your career, which didn't go particularly well on that night, but a few days later it sunk in and we stuck to what we said, which was we are going to make a commitment to you...the public is interested in you and then along came Nickelodeon, which is such a perfect fit for her and Columbia Records...she is one of the most determined people I've met in my life.
L.A.: You're absolutely right and from the beginning we always felt she had what it takes to become a major star...she did have the X Factor. Winning was difficult, but it didn't stop the process. She's still going to be a big star...I stand by that.
Simon: We did say this before on the show, it's a show you have to want to win that's why we put the $5 million up, but at the same time I think we did a good job in our first season and not just finding one great artist, but a number and Rachel is one of a few that are going to have great careers at the back of this.
Nicole Scherzinger: 'I would have saved Rachel Crow on X Factor USA'
Nicole Scherzinger has admitted that she would have chosen to save X Factor USA contestant Rachel Crow in hindsight.
The Pussycat Dolls singer reflected on her decision to send the elimination decision to deadlock during The X Factor USA's quarter-final, a move which eliminated the teenager and sparked controversy at the time.
"I would have voted for Rachel Crow when it was down to the wire instead of leaving it up to America's vote," Scherzinger said in a Q&A ahead of The X Factor's return to British screens this weekend.
Scherzinger, who replaces former Destiny's Child musician Kelly Rowland on the ITV1 show's judging panel, promised to "be myself, heart and soul and give 110%, like I always do".
"As an international artist and someone who has been in the music industry for a number of years I know what will sell in the US and across the world... I'll be helping the contestants and audiences to see what it truly takes to make it and bring out the best in them," she added.
Since appearing on The X Factor USA, 14-year-old Crow has gone on to sign a joint record contract with Syco and Columbia, in addition to a talent deal with Nickelodeon.
Crow also recently released her first single 'Mean Girls'.
The X Factor returns on Saturday, August 18 on ITV1 in the UK, while The X Factor USA's second season premieres on September 12 and 13 on Fox in the US.
The X Factor Season 2 Episode 1 Recap: Austin, San Francisco and Providence Auditions
It's Time! To Face! The Music! Again! The X Factor returns with new judges Britney Spears and Demi Lovato joining Simon Cowell and LA Reid. Tonight's auditions feature unsolicited advice, Bieber fever, misguided uses of time, and some major cathartic moments from Austin, TX, San Francisco, CA and Providence, RI.
Previously on The X Factor: Ooof. Fox was all over the place with its adaptation of the UK music juggernaut. Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger got the boot, as did robotic Guy Smiley, uh, what was his name? Steve Jones, that's it. Poor Steve. Melanie Amaro won a $5 million contract, filmed a poorly received Super Bowl commercial and has rarely be seen since. Her debut album comes out in a couple of weeks, but we'll see if it makes a dent. As for the other alums, Rachel Crow seems to have the highest profile, logging in many hours on Nickelodeon. Good for her. Will this season generate more stars?
