More than a year after her third-place departure, American Idol season 6 alum Melinda Doolittle has finally found a record deal, EW.com has learned. Doolittle will join the roster at independent label Hi Fi Recordings, the current home to Todd Rundgren. The label also has had a hand in successful efforts by Avril Lavigne and Spacehog, among others. Hi Fi was founded in 1995 by music industry vet John Hecker and was originally a joint venture with major labels Elektra, Arista, and Virgin Records. Doolittle’s debut is expected to be released this fall, but an official street date has yet to be determined.
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Comments (1-30) of 94 Add your comment
It’s about time! She was by far the best singer for that AI season. I’m looking forward to her CD.
GO MELINDA!!!!
She really should have won. Jordan was great, don’t get me wrong, but Melinda was CONSISTANTLY fantastic every week!
It’s about time I will buy her CD in a minute, she’s was absolutely the best singer of season 6, way to go melinda
This is probably the one and only AI contestant’s CD that I will ever buy. It’s about time somebody gave this talented lady a shot.
Now this is going to be negative so bear with me. I think whatever she does music-wise will have to “out the box”….jazz, Latin, something other than R&B/soul, because she honestly cannot compete with the likes of Jennifer Hudson, Whitney, Beyonce, even Christina Aguilera. They say there’s plenty of room at the top, but she’s coming in at the bottom, where it’s crowded as h**ll. And she’s got so much going against her — age being one. But time will tell if she makes it…frankly, I always throught she was a Sharon Jones &Dap Kings singer….she needs a strong backup band.
I’d buy it without listening to it first, she’s such a talented singer.
I think it’s great that she’s got the contract! Like everyone else though, the song will be the deciding factor – I would never buy anyone’s album because they did well on a reality show – they need to bring it in the studio where it counts!
Let others rush (lest public interest wane). Let others take whatever is offered to them (because they don’t know their true worth). Melinda Doolittle is not a flash-in-the-pan, past-expiration-date or limited-to-pop culture taste artist. She is a genuine vocalist who is appreciated beyond these borders as well as within. The W-O-M-A-N returns in September. Time to party, people!
So happy for Melinda! It was a looong time coming! Can’t wait to hear it!
Thanks for the update. Keep reporting on the deals of the artists.I’m really curious if Carly and Jason C and brooke get deals.
Go Melinda Go Go Go! New website to support Melinda Career http://www.mdstreetteam.com come join us
This just made my morning. Can not believe it took her so long to get a deal, but I am glad she finally did. It will be nice to not have to youtube her everytime I am craving her voice.
Best of luck to Melinda. She really should have been in the finals instead of Blagh-ke Lewis. I agree with Sally that she needs to go outside plain ole’ R&B. A major label wouldn’t know what to do with her so indie is probably the way to go. I wonder if Hi Fi has any distribution partnerships, since Avril Lavigne’s first two records are listed under the Arista label.
AWESOME!!!! Make sure you post on the front page of your site when it’s coming out, EW, so we’ll all be reminded to go out and buy the CD!
FINALLY!
This made my day and I agree with Calrower that her album will finally stop me from looking her up in YouTube when I get a craving for her voice and her performances. I don’t think she should do other music for the sake of ‘making it’ in the market. She has very capably shown us in the show that she is versatile and can sing anything in her own style, her own key, her own arrangements and make them all work. I will support Melinda’s CD for sure which is probably the only album of any AI contestant I’ll ever have.
Finally!!! I have been waiting for this news for more than a year. I cannot wait to buy her CD. She is fabulous!
Go Melinda! You have a solid following and support worldwide. Great to hear that it is an independent label you are signing rather than a major studio where commerce comes first before it signs an artist.
She is crap
Thanks, EW, for sharing what Melinda’s Street Team already knew!
Don’t worry, Matt (or anyone else) about when to buy Melinda’s debut CD. Come to her Street Team site (MDstreetTeam.com) and we’ll keep you up to date on all things Melinda!
Great news (and about time)! Can’t wait for the album. Hope it’s good. BTW, when is Elliott Yamin’s next album coming out. And what about my girl Brooke White?
I agree with the comments – she is very talented. However, more than a year has passed since she caught Americas attention, and unfortunately, I think many people have forgotten her. I wish her luck, but I don’t think she’ll make it.
What took it so long before she got a contract????!! She was all the buzz last year and shockingly finished third. I have been waiting for a CD for a really long time.
Who?
Its about freaking time. She was the only reason why I’ve ever watched a season of Idol. Once she got bumped off the show, I stopped watching. Just tell me when the album drops and I’ll be there to pick it up. It will be the first physical CD I’ve bought at a store in over a decade.
I only watched Idol because I go to the same church as Sabrina Sloane, who was in the top 15 or something. Once she was off, I stuck around because Melinda has a voice that makes God’s heart soar. Can’t wait for this one!
She would have won American Idol if she didn’t stick to classic R&B. The producers didn’t know how to market an incredible soul singer, so they gave the top spots to boring Blake and whoever that girl was who won to ensure they could get a commercial pop hit out of the winner. With the way Melinda sings, she will have a nice long career.
Finally! Thanks for giving us the news. She is one of the best singers to ever compete on that show, and deserves to be an international recording star. I love her voice!
EW, when her debut CD comes out, please put it on the Must List. Thanks.
Hands down the best singer ever on American Idol. It is about time someone signed her. I will grab up her album as soon as it comes out. Congratulations Melinda!
it’s about fracking time, so when can I buy the album, I HAVE WAITED LONG ENOUGH!