Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina Ink Deals with Mercury Nashville

'American Idol' winner Scotty McCreery and runner-up Lauren Alaina both appear well on their way to stardom, now that they've followed up their success on the show by signing record deals with Mercury Nashville.

MTV confirmed the deals yesterday. Both performers are already lighting up the charts with their debut singles. On the strength of digital downloads, McCreery's 'I Love You This Big' entered the country chart at No. 32, making it the highest new entry for a debut song since Billboard began using the Neilsen BDS tracking system in 1990. Alaina wasn't far behind with her single 'Like My Mother Does,' which bowed at No. 49.

The teenage vocalists sat down with MTV to discuss their upcoming major-label debut albums. Both expressed a desire to stay true to their country music interests, though Alaina seems more open to Taylor Swift-style crossover pop success.

"I like to have that old flavor in my music, but with a contemporary feel, so we'll see where that leads me," McCreery said. Alaina added, "I'm definitely gonna have a country album and if it crosses over that would be great. But I like new, upbeat songs that people can dance to and sing along to, so that's where I'm headed."

Watch Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina Discuss Their Debut Albums