Season-nine winner’s album was lowest-selling by show champ. By Gil Kaufman Lee DeWyze Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images Season-nine “American Idol” winner Lee DeWyze has set a couple of records since taking home the title two years ago over dreadlocked rival Crystal Bowersox. Unfortunately for him, though, they’re not the kinds you want to brag about. After landing the worst-selling debut album from an “Idol” winner in history, the soft-spoken rocker has quietly been dumped by his label, RCA Records , after just one release. The singer and former paint-store clerk failed to catch fire with an audience while selling just 168,000 copies of his 2010 major-label bow, Live It Up. With only sporadic touring and no single topping the charts, DeWyze was largely off the radar in the months following the album’s release as he kept a much lower profile than previous winners. He becomes only the second “Idol” winner to be dropped after a single album, following in the footsteps of season five’s Taylor Hicks, whose Arista Records debut sold more than 705,000 copies. While a spokesperson for RCA could not be reached for comment at press time, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the news. In an interview with the trade magazine last week, newly appointed RCA Records CEO Peter Edge let slip that Illinois native DeWyze, 25, is no longer on the label’s roster. DeWyze’s option with the label expired in September, and his season was the final one of a nine-year partnership between “Idol,” 19 Recordings and RCA’s parent company, Sony Music. While DeWyze has been let go, a number of previous “Idol” winners remain on the RCA roster, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, David Cook and Kris Allen. An unnamed rep for the singer told THR that DeWyze is in a “good place right now” and he is reportedly working on new music and planning his upcoming wedding to model Joanna Walsh. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Videos Lee DeWyze Talks New Album ‘Live It Up’ Related Artists Lee DeWyze
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‘American Idol’ Winner Lee DeWyze Dropped By Label
