The label which went through management switch earlier this year has decided to let the season 9 winner go.
- October 6, 2011
AceShowbiz -
Lee DeWyze, the winner of "American Idol" season 9, is dropped from RCA Records. However, the 25-year-old is still managed by 19's management and he said recently that new music is on the works.
Newly appointed RCA Records CEO Peter Edge confirmed in an interview with THR last week that DeWyze is no longer with the label. Sony Music CEO Doug Morris took the reigns in July and under him, RCA has absorbed the rosters of Jive, Arista and J Records. These labels have signed "Idol" winners and runners up in the past.
DeWyze only sold 168,000 copies of his debut album "Live It Up" in 2010. His option officially expired in September. Rep for DeWyze said that the singer is "in a good place right now".
RCA chose to keep season 8's Kris Allen, season 7's David Cook, Season 6's Jordin Sparks, season 4's Carrie Underwood and season 1's Kelly Clarkson. "The best Idol results come from doing great A&R. The TV platform provides amazing coverage, but if you don't have the right songs, it doesn't really mean a whole hell of a lot, because we've seen American Idol winners come and go in a heartbeat," RCA commented on the inconsistent success of "Idol" winners.
"And we've seen them have great records, like Kelly Clarkson, starting with 'Since U Been Gone'. Or on the 'X Factor' side, Leona Lewis, where 'Bleeding Love' gave her a double-platinum debut album; if she didn't have those songs, her notoriety would have probably gone away. Those where the A&R wasn't the best, or they weren't willing to be A&R'd, they didn't last."
