After getting dropped from Arista Records, American Idol season six runner-up Blake Lewis says it’s not a big deal.

“Ring, ring, ring went the phone. Iain my manager baring the news. Arista isn’t picking up the second option,” writes Lewis on his MySpace blog. “Meaning, I’m not doing another record with them. I’m totally fine with this.”

Though he was a fan favorite on the show, the move comes after disappointing sales — roughly 300,000 copies sold — since Lewis released the album Audio Day Dream last Christmas.

“I guess the right time was now,” he writes. “No biggy.”

He is, at least, in good company. Past Idol winners Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard, and fellow runner-up Katherine McPhee, also lost their deals with Arista Records.

Next order of business? A tour, an album and a new label. “I’m still with 19 Recordings and I got a tour and new record on the way,” Lewis writes. As for the label, it’s “got to be a place where they actually respect my craft and electronic music.” –Danielle Anderson

http://tvwatch.people.com/2008/06/26/blake-on-getting-dropped-from-label-no-biggy/

Good to hear he's moving on.

He is, at least, in good company. Past Idol winners Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard, and fellow runner-up Katherine McPhee, also lost their deals with Arista Records.
this is really off-topic but it really pisses me off how wrong these articles always are with their record labels. the only person out of that list signed to Artista was Taylor. Kat was with RCA and Ruben with J. when Archie's press release with Jive was released a bunch of articles claimed he was signed to the same label as Cook...which he wasnt. GOD. do your research people.

/unnessacary off-topic rant :)