photo: FoxRachel Crow's knee-dropping, jaw-dropping meltdown on the top five results show was THE most dramatic moment of "The X Factor" Season 1, but the 14-year-old "You're My Sunshine" singer is all smiles again this week--and a little closer to attaining her dream of getting her own bathroom--now that she has officially signed with Nickelodeon for a comedy series and with Columbia/Syco for a recording contract.
According to Deadline.com, Rachel (who was long rumored to be signing with Disney) has inked an overall deal with Nickelodeon, which will include her own comedy series and a recurring role as the "confident but awkward teenager" Starr on Fred: The Show. "Rachel is an original," Nickelodeon's Paula Kaplan told Deadline. "She's funny, genuine, and has raw talent and a passion for performing." Said Rachel's former "X Factor" mentor Simon Cowell of signing Rachel to his Syco label: "This girl has it. We saw her potential at the first audition and Nickelodeon and Columbia are the right homes for her."
"I just want to say that u all inspire me so much to do my best. I never forget for 1 second that w/out all of u this would not be happening," Rachel tweeted to her fans Wednesday morning, after her signings were announced.
Rachel is the fifth "X Factor" Season 1 contestant to land a record deal, after Melanie Amaro, Chris Rene, Marcus Canty, and Astro all signed with L.A. Reid's Epic Records. Runner-up Josh Krajcik's label affiliation has yet to be announced, but The Hollywood Reporter reports that he does have a deal in place with Sony Music and is currently working with Adele/Duffy/Will Young/Kris Allen producer Eg White.
Which "X Factor" contestant--Rachel, Melanie, Josh, Chris, Marcus, or Astro--do you think has the best chance of selling in the real-life marketplace (and competing against all those "Idol" alums putting out records this year)? Let me know.
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