In light of the news that Jordin Sparks recently scored the lowest total first-week sales (119,000) and the lowest first-week chart position (No. 10) among six American Idol champs to date…and seeing as Blake Lewis’s Audio Day Dream got socked with a tepid C review from our own Chris Willman in this week’s EW…and keeping in mind season 5’s "unhip" Elliott Yamin is still getting airplay even after more "marketable" Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee have hit the bargain bin…I figured I’d ask the good folks at 19 Entertainment whether or not they’d gotten around to signing season 6’s third-place finisher Melinda Doolittle to a recording contract.
Yes, I know, she doesn’t have Jordin’s youthful appeal, or Blake’s hipster musical tastes, but the woman possesses a monster truck of a voice, and the world needs more monster trucks! And personally, I’d like to see her drive it right through the rocky chart terrain left barren in the absence of Tina Turner, followed by the smooth-jazzy territory once occupied by Anita Baker.
Alas–and I know you know this is coming–a 19 spokesperson’s response, received via email yesterday afternoon, contained a single, sad sentence: "She is not signed to 19 Recordings."
Help me make sense of this, PopWatchers! Because it’s not right, and it’s not okay. And don’t even get me started on LaKisha Jones.
Oh yes, you know I went there.
Comments (1-30) of 273
I guess recording execs don’t think the world needs more soulful diva voices for the charts. Ya Think?
But they really missed the boat on Yamin – bethcha his Christmas album outsells all you named.
I guess recording execs don’t think the world needs more soulful diva voices for the charts. Ya Think?
But they really missed the boat on Yamin – bethcha his Christmas album outsells all you named.
I’m right there with you AI! His Christmas Album is quite enjoyable.
I can’t believe no one’s signed her yet. It makes me want to cry, especially when you look at the fact that the most successful idols the past few rounds haven’t been the winners. Why would they throw away possibly THE best pure singer to come through the competition just because she’s not marketable? That’s what they said about Elliott, and his album has been loads better than Taylor’s or Kat’s! (And quite frankly, “marketable” could be more aptly applied to music styles that fit the current landscape. Chris Daughtry – marketable like whoa because rock is in.)
It would be nice to have a real singer for adults around. There are a number of black female acts but very few of them sing anything other than dance-pop (Beyonce, Rhiana) or neo-soul(Chrisette Michelle, etc). Alicia Keys might be the only one, and she’s more singer-songwriter than a song stylist type. Melinda can SAANG, and more importantly, she makes singing into a craft. An expers\t song interpreter, impeccable phrasing, I mean… who does that anymore? Can someone just sign her and put her album in Starbucks or something, they will sell a boatload of them. Oh well.
This is the gal who should have won the show, but she wasn’t packing the Image 19E was seeking out last season.
The past Idol season, the show most likely jumped the shark anyway, let’s see if they can prove that wrong this next year.
It doesn’t surprise me she isn’t signed and I predicted as much. AI upped the age to 28 and she like Taylor just made it under the wire. Does anybody know someone other than Taylor who won AI who was 28 y.o.? And while she can sing, she doesn’t have the “look.” Now compare her to Sharon Jones of Dap Kings — Melinda would fit nicely into that role. With an accompanying boy band behind her. Sharon Jones is at the top now because of the novelty and the soulfulness of the act. AI hasn’t jumped the shark — yet–but it has to redefine and retune itself. There’s a site that listed all the finalists for next season and I swear, 99% of them were professionals. They had myspace and videos up…they could play instruments…and it seems that AI is no longer for the Unfound “little” guy/girl (Charles Grigsby, Kellie Pickler) and now is for the “professional” who didn’t get that record contract.
Melinda had that sort of background when she auditioned on a fluke (more…)
And let’s not forget you don’t need a record contract to make money in show business…there are plenty of singers/musicians/AIs who are doing private events and big Vegas conference appearances and getting paid plenty.
And while Popwatch is musing about Melinda, what happened to the others? Lakisha is on Broadway in the CP, Chris S. has a “religious” record contract and Phil Stacey just signed a record contract. What about the others?
AI is not the magic pill to stardom. All it does it make your name recognizable and give you the opp to be a celebrity.
Thank goodness Elliott wasnt signed to 19!! He went the indie route, put out an amazing CD, an awesome Christmas CD for Target– those are the only 2 CD’s I have ever purchased from an American Idol. Actually- the only CDs I have purchased this year!!Maybe Melinda will go the same route and outsell this season’s 2 “winners”. I thought she had the best voice this season anyway.
If you do not have Elliott’s CDs yet– go get them– you will not be sorry!!
I think AI is becoming too big. All the contestants are professionals now, and the show has strayed so far from its concept. Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, Lakisha were prime examples of what the show was about. Ordinary people with big voices. Now, people are so key to how to gain fans, that there aren’t any ‘real’ people anymore.
P.S. They need to sign Melinda now! And please don’t screw her with bland pop like ‘Tattoo.’
P.S.S. Slezak, don’t bring up Taylor’s sales or Blake’s grade. People are wishing Chris William death for giving him a C, and popwatchers started a war ove how much Elliot and Taylor sold!
Okay, Melinda has a great voice and personality, but Jordin is amazing. Think about being able to sing like her and have the vocal control at that age. Her voice is still maturing so I can only imagine what she’ll be like in 5 years. Okay, her cd hasn’t sold as well as the others…well, alot of parents are buying it for Christmas for their teen or tween and they have’t gotten it yet. Also, remember that the ticket sales were lower this year also. Don’t worry about Jordin, she’s awesome and you’ll continue to hear more from her. I have her CD and I LOVE it. I just drove 8 hours to Pennsylvania and back and listened to Jordin almost the entire time. I love the cd and so does my 15 year old daughter and everyone else that I know. Keep your eye on this girl because she’s going to be around for a LONG time!
They certainly did miss the boat on Elliott! And on Melinda. I’d like to see this pair of “number three”s” do a duet.
Melinda who?
honestly, Melinda was a good singer but she wasnt original. I dont think she will be a star. Maybe that seems unfair to some of you, but honestly, it’s not. There are probably thousands of black women in America who can sing just as well as Melinda, so you need something extra to stand out, and Melinda just doesnt have that.
Slezak, did you read my mind yesterday? I was just wondering about Melinda Doolittle the other day! In part it was because I was excited to think of how many folk’ll be doing “Amy Winehouse” covers for the next “Idol” and how fun Idolatry would be. But then my mind wandered to Ms. Doolittle. Why isn’t she signed onto to any record label?
Speaking of also rans, Antonella Barba’s back to college here in DC. She was featured in the post a few days ago. It seems racy pictures and a decent cover of Corrine Bailey Ray weren’t enough to keep her in the spotlight either.
So the best singer didn’t get a deal yet? Really? I liked some of the others, but Melinda is the only one I wanted a record from. Man, that’s depressing.
Elliott has done remarkable!! Makes me wonder about the validity of AI now. It has become a popularity contest and the truth is, it doesn’t always work out for the winners. AI doesn’t support it’s winners the way they should. Some changes need to be made. It’s now become, “get in the top ten and you probably have a good chance at making it”.
I hope record execs read comments like these, because it would be a HUGE waste of talent not to produce a record for Melinda. I think she’s one of the greatest singers I’ve heard in many years. I’d LOVE to have a Melinda CD sometime…soon!!!
As long as it’s not too sappy and preachy, I will buy Mindy Doo’s CD when it inevitably comes out. Be patient, Slezak – it took Elliott a while to get signed, but he eventually did. All good things come to those who wait.
Considering all the death wishes from the Blake groupies to the EW reviewer, I wouldn’t count out Blake’s CD selling fairly well (personally I think it’s pretty weak) on the strength of rabid fan base (who prob. don’t care too much about music and more about how cute Blake is). I hope Melinda puts out a CD at some point, it sure would be a shame if it doesn’t happen for her. But the real question is, whatever happened to that fool Sanjaya?
I. Love. Melinda Doolittle. If the Powers That Be would stop worrying about image and pay a little attention to talent, I bet I would listen to the radio a lot more.
Amen, Michael!
When we people wake up and realize that the three people who run the entertainment industry dont like to see physically challegend people on screen…..Its is sad but true, Ms Doolittle to them is Dootoomuch!!..I can remember when Martha Wash sang hit songs for a group called C&C Music Factory, and they put a size two woman on their album covers even in their videos lip sycnching to Martha Wash’s voice Mmmm so dont expect those who rule to change no matter how good your voice is, and yes Melinda Dolittle is a voice without boundaries… however she will probably have to self promote.
So Jordin Sparks’ album didn’t fare as well as previous Idol winners? Well, her CD also came out quite a while after her win. Generally the winners have CDs out within weeks after their win, not months.
As for Melinda, I don’t imagine her making it to the pop charts. With the record industry in a constant state of flux, is signing an artist meant for the adult contemporary genre worth the risk? I’d say no.
I was wondering the same thing just this weekend. I had a theory that if she decided to head the Christian music route it might take longer for her to get an album out. It’s just a theory. Also the industry could be waiting to see how Jordin and Blake fair before signing more season sixers. Or it could prove that Idol is not the star maker it once was.
Melinda is signed to management. She hasn’t said who.
http://tinyurl.com/26mraz
She is also recording tracks. There will be a CD or at least iTunes, I’m sure. Her niche fan base is more committed than either Blake’s or Jordan’s.
Melinda’s been recording and pretty busy. Check out her latest MySpace blog:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=100652337&blogID=331360698
I hate AI now because all it does it make me worry about things like this.
LRB – That’s not exactly true. Most of the recent (if not all of) AI CDs have been coming out in November in time for the Christmas rush. Taylor, Fantasia, Ruben and I think Carrie all came out around this time. Kelly’s season ended in September and her debut didn’t come out til April the next year. They always have their single right away, but no winner has put out an album in less than three months after their win.
I look forward to season 7. i hear it will be WAY better than season 6, with much stronger contestants than blake, jordin, melinda etc. I think AI wants to forget all about season 6, they werent very happy with that season. So I heard they will make some improvements for next year, like, no more unnecessary mentors or guest judges that take up air time.
19E has never been interested in signing the best singing talent from the AI shows–it’s not really a “singing competition”. It’s who they think will fill whatever niche is most popular at the time… hence the reason Elliot never got offered a contract. The thing is, they underestimate the taste and brainpower of their audience, which is why Kelly and Carrie, arguably the most vocally talented winners they’ve had, are still the most successful winners they’ve had. They may be able to manipulate their voting viewers into voting for certain contestants with judges’ “pimping,” but they certainly can’t make people buy their records once all is said and done.
I’m sure Melinda will land on her feet. If nothing else, there is a huge gospel music buying public that would love to have her recording some great inspirational stuff.
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