"Idol" reject Josiah Leming signs label deal

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Josiah Leming -- known as the teary-eyed "American Idol" contestant who just missed making it through the show's Hollywood audition rounds -- has signed with Warner Bros. Records.

His booting from "Idol" came as a surprise, as the show's producers had invested a serious amount of time detailing his back-story. Leming, 17, left home to pursue a musical career and lived in his car as he tried to support his out-of-work father and ill mother.

The Morristown, Tenn., native saw a surge of interest in his performances after his abrupt elimination, including appearances on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show and a story on MTV News.

Leming will start recording his album this week, according to Warner Bros.,which signed him to both a recording and publishing deal.

Reuters/Billboard