She stunned the fans of American Idol by reaching the finals and now Katharine McPhee will get her opportunity to be a real pop star. Can McPhee go 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow and pull it off?

Katharine McPhee Gets Her Record Deal

American Idol is hoping that beautiful tune and her pedestrian "Idol" original "My Destiny" can jump start her career.

The songs will be released as what McPhee's new labels, RCA Records and 19 Recordings Limited, are calling a double A-sided single (instead of the usual A-side and B-side) reports MTV.

She now has a chance to work with the pros and with her striking good looks and brilliant voice - she may be the only real 'pop star' to emerge from this season.

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Studio Time:

The Sherman Oaks, California, native has already booked studio time with famed songwriter and producer Diane Warren, whose credits range from 'NSYNC to Cher, MTV also details on its web site.

"I'm a big fan of her stuff, and we want to get together and start maybe writing some stuff together," McPhee said. "That's the only collaborator I know of so far."

On her vision for the album Kat told MTV, "It'll be top 40 kind of stuff. I think if I were to do bluesy-jazzy stuff with all the standards, I would do that more as a theme album. So probably something more poppy."

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People magazine spoke with hitmaker Clive Davis and reports on its web site that Davis said of McPhee, 22:

"My first task is going to be to sit down with her and see what her vision is for herself. … She is a pop singer. There is no question. Our task will be to find hits for her that fit her like a glove and can be hits on today's radio. That is the challenge and the task that lies in front of us."

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The June 27 release date of McPhee's single comes two weeks after "Idol" winner Taylor Hicks releases his debut single.

--Gene Byrd