On Friday, a press release was (finally!) issued about Jordin Sparks being signed to Jive Records. In Today’s New York Post, the following statement appears in a short article about the reasoning behind Jordin going with Jive rather than the labels usually reserved for the winners - RCA/Arista/J Records.
And Sparks’ chief competitor on the show, runner-up Blake Lewis, signed with Arista last month.
Hmm. Discuss!
Thanks Lisa!
I’m not sure if I’ll believe this til we see a press release! Everyone thought Jordin was with Arista too…even Billboard had reported it.
In the other thread, Lisa said:
Well Lisa, if you’re feeling good about this, that says a lot! ;)
Did any of you notice in that article that Jordin was listed as being 19? LOL That’s the only part of that article that wasn’t credible. Of course, as I stated in the Sedalia, MO thread, we wouldn’t have heard an announcement on Blake before now because usually the winner is singed first along with the shiny press release. I hope that if this is the case that Blake will be treated with the same courtesy and will get a nice shiny press release like Jordin did.
Star,
I’m totally with you on your line of thinking. I’m taking it that Blake has no deal until I see otherwise. We’ve all gotten our hopes up one too many times becaue if it was to turn out that Blake didn’t sign with a Sony/BMG label then it would make that portion of the article totally false.
I think that Blake has a deal with a Sony/BMG label. I’m just not sure the label reported is accurate.
I think this goes in the same pile as the articles that said Jordin was with Arista until we get independent confirmation ;)
Star,
There was a lady over at MJ’s who answered you about the statment you made about the winners usually going with Arista. She was correct on this one statement. J Records and Arista merged and are one in the same now, so it’s actually J/Arista. That part of the article is true but I do want to see the proof for myself also.
I really doubt the NY Post just pulled the whole article out of their butts. Someone had to go to them with the story explaining why Jordin was placed where she was. Whoever spoke to the Post also confirmed Blake and Jordin are both being managed by Simon Fuller, something else we didn’t know. Its quite possible Jordin was supposed to go to Arista originally, and it does sound that way since it specifically mentions the diva heavy release schedule and they may have decided to position her on a label that is more balanced. Since Jordin herself had Arista on her MySpace I think its safe to say something simply changed. I chalk the 19 year old thing as being a misprint. It’s not always winner that go to Arista. The last few have but Kelly Clarkson is with RCA and obviously this year things are different.
I’m with the group that don’t believe anything until I see the press release. There’s been so much speculation. Most everyone guessed wrong about Jordin. I just know Blake will do well no matter who he goes with! He seems so charged about his CD and he’s one smart shibby cookie. He seems extremely happy with what’s going on and he’s the only one that really knows. I will trust in B-Shorty!
Lisa, true, but it was such a throwaway little line in an article that was mainly about Jordin. I’m curious where they even got the idea? It would be awesome if it were a case of the reporter leaking info that they didn’t know isn’t official yet, but I just don’t think we should put that much stock in it till we hear it from another source.
That’s exactly what I want to know. I got a PM at BLM last night from somebody telling me that they read a post at AI saying that Blake was singed and I told her that we don’t have confirmation of that in the way of a press release yet and to not take that as fact until we see the proof in print.
Uh from whoever spoke to The Post that actually knows the label situation? The fact that the article was about Jordin makes it even less likely they just made up some random fact about Blake being signed. To us it’s a huge deal but to the average person reading The Post its not really some huge breaking news. Billboard just had the piece where it said both of them were signed. It’s not some big secret scoop. I read The Trades all the time and often little tidbits like this are dropped before official statements come out. *shrug*
All I’m saying is a lot of people and even some media thought Arista for Jordin as well and that was wrong. And no one bothered leaking anything about Jordin/Jive, and to the general public she is the much more important story.
I agree B/Arista is an odd little detail to just throw into the Jordin article unless the reporter thought it were true. But we don’t know why she thinks this is so, whether she has a solid tip or if she is just assuming Arista as the default label. (Can we email her? lol)
I’m not sure why would she assume Arista as the default label. The runners-up are always signed to RCA, from Justin to Katharine. Carrie and Taylor are the only two Idol contestants to have ever signed with Arista.
Arista is known to be more “artist-friendly”, so I tend to agree with Lisa that if that’s where Blake is, they see him more as a long term artist. Which is what I’m hoping for anyway, so I’d be happy, even though it’d make my prediction wrong. :)
ETA: Also, no I won’t believe he’s with Arista til I get a press release telling me such, but there are too many little clues and links out there telling me that he’s with Sony/BMG. So that, I believe even if it’s not “official” yet. After Jordin’s press release on Friday, I bet we get one this week from Blake. In fact, I’m guessing Tuesday, which is when they usually come out.
I don’t know anything about the different labels. I just want new Blake music and I don’t care which label puts it out there for me. :) Whichever one makes him happy, makes me happy. :)
I think Blake sounds very happy, I love how his face lights up when talking about his album. Arista or not I think he will do amazing.
I mean, it’s obvious Clive was very impressed with his work to give him all this creative control.
I can’t wait for the press release!
Agreed. A long as B is happy and able to make the music he loves, I’ll be happy! :)
Very well said! Seeing that smile on his face is priceless!
Speaking of a happy Blake or should I say goofy Blake:D Here is a pic that Never Knew @TWOP found on Phil Stacey’s myspace page. It’s his default pic! It’s a pic of Phil, Blake and Chris Rich.:D This will definitely make you smile!
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u38/pammohr/l_fbf96ad662dbc88138b7eae1bb6589c6.jpg
Sorry to ask this, but what is the difference between Jive/19E/Artista/RCA/Sony/BMG? Are they just different labels all overseen by Clive?
Love the picture.
Kelly,
19E is the media conglomerate that owns American Idol and other TV programs. 19 also has a management branch (19M) and a recording branch (19R). Sony/BMG is a massive music industry umbrella with many different labels. Jive is one branch of Zomba, which falls under the Sony/BMG umbrella. RCA and Arista/J are the Sony/BMG labels that are under the direct control of Clive Davis.
I hope that answers your question instead of confusing you even more.
I saw that picture last night, and I love it! :)
You guys want to hear something strange. There is another aricle in the NY Post this morning about Jordin’s deal but it does mention Blake or J/Arista.
Guys, ignore my post above. That article is a cut down version posted over the weekend. Sorry. LOL
Dear Clive: We are all going insane. Please announce B’s label already. And make it a nice glowy press release like Jordin’s. (But preferably not on a Friday.) thx!
U GUYS NO MATTER WAT BLAKE IS GONNA GET SIGN EVERY RUNNER UP GETS SIGNED TRUST ME
Yes, that’s true, but Blake stated 2 different times on TV that 19E had the first right of refusal for runner ups. The first time he said this was on 5/25 when Blake and the rest of the top 12 were on Larry King Live.
Without a press release to confirm anything it’s still as if Blake has no deal even if he does.
Tattoo? Blake has tattoos. Makes me wonder.
Anyway, I hope that Blake’s press release comes out soon. I dying to know what label he is on and when his first single will be on the radio. I don’t know much about record labels, but as I have stated before all I want is a label that will support him through and through. I don’t want a label that will drop you if you don’t have a smash hit. I am sure Blake will be successful and I want him to have a lasting career. If Arista can do that, so be it.
I just want that press release so i know what and when that first single comes out! thats it! i dont care much for nothin else..just give me that and i promise i wont complain till november..i swear!
So far as of 8/21, still no press release! WTH? Some poster over at MJ’s is referring to both Blake and Jordin being signed. If Blake is singed, where is our proof? I’ve been kind of wondering if the announcing of his deal was going to be like sweeping dirt up under a rug just that article that was supposed to have been 100% about Jordin that mentioned he was signed at the last of July. I want my proof folks, or else I’m going to remain skeptical. Sorry.
Last week Fred Bronson in his column indicated that no one except Jordin and Blake have signed contracts. Fred Bronson has a lot of pull in the industry and wouldn’t post something unless he heard something reliable.
Did you ever think that maybe since Jordin’s press release came out on a Friday his might as well? Just because some people are choosing to be a little optimistic, let them have that. I think the ones referring to Blake as being signed are just using common sense.
I went back and looked at that article that came out in the Post on Sunday and I decided to google the name of the writer to see if he’s ever written accurate information. It turns out he works for Billboard magazine and he often posts industry news at Billboard. He was hired by the Post to write about happenings in the music biz. I’m choosing to believe the people at Billboard (who are an industry magazine) know what they’re talking about. Why would they lie?
It makes sense, but I feel bad seeing the kids on IDF celebrating like it was trufax when we don’t know for sure yet. Also I kind of want something more substantial than a line buried in a Jordin article…though maybe that was a last stab at keeping the runner-up in his place ;)
Michelle,
That’s not the only place where there was a party. Some of the on the AI boards had posted he was signed and some of them at BLM thought it was already a done deal too. I’m still going to remain skeptical about Blake going with Clive till I see something in print. I get tired of reading these articles saying that 1 and 2 are picked up when we haven’t seen the proof on Blake. He’s either going with Clive or he isn’t and it would be nice to have the proof because if this thing goes at least 2 weeks with no press release, then people are going to start wondering if Blake was turned down by Sony/BMG and I can’t say I don’t blame them.
That’s amazing, but I can’t wait for the OFFICIAL press release.