Chris Medina to release single, appear on 'Leno'

Chris Medina at his initial 'Idol' audition

Chris Medina may not have made the Top 24 of 'American Idol 10,'  but he's still getting a record deal and a chance to debut his single on the 'Tonight Show with Jay Leno.'   According to a press release the song, "What Are Words," will be released on iTunes debuts tonight (Feb. 24). The video for the song will premiere on aol.com at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25. and Chris will appear on 'Leno' that night.

The song was written for Chris by Rodney Jenkins who has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige.

Jenkins said he was inspired to write the song when he watched Chris' story about caring for his disabled fiancee. "Sometimes a song is more than a song and that’s really true with ‘What Are Words,'" Jenkins said.

“To go from a mass audition in Milwaukee to the ‘American Idol’ stage in Hollywood and then to record an original song by and for Rodney Jerkins has been an amazing journey not just for me but for Juliana,” Medina states in the press release. “To be able to work in the studio with someone of his stature was a dream come true.”

Medina was cut on Wednesday's episode of the show.

No previous contestant has released any music this early in the season; certainly not one who did not make the Top 24.