Country music fans will be happy to know that both finalists for this year’s American Idol, the winner Scotty McCreery and runner-up Lauren Alaina, both signed major label contracts with Mercury Nashville, reports MTV News.
McCreery has already launched his first single I Love You This Big, which debuted at number 32 last week on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs, the best new artist debut since the music magazine began using Nielsen BDS ranking in 1990.
"I am humbled and shocked by this news," McCreery said in a statement. "I can’t tell you what it means to me to be on the same charts as my musical heroes… I continue to be amazed by everything that has happened to me in such a short time."
Starting this week, McCreery will be in Nashville to begin work on his debut album, while the finalist Lauren Alaina will also begin working on her debut, after attending the CMA Music Fest in Nashville.
Both artists will be joining the Idols Live! summer tour, which gets underway in Salt Lake City on July 6.