Is Kellie Pickler Close to Signing a New Record Deal?

By On 07/16/2012 · 15 Comments · In American Idol, Kellie Pickler

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Is American Idol alum, Kellie Pickler, ready to sign with a new label? The folks at The Country Vibe have sources that tell them Kellie has been meeting with several labels and is “this close” to signing a new deal with an independent label in Nashville.

She recently spilled her feelings to Entertainment Weekly about her recent split with major label, Sony Nashville. Her latest album, 100 Proof got rave reviews from the critics, but Kellie felt her latest work, which has a decidedly traditional country vibe, wasn’t promoted properly by an ever revolving cast of characters at the label.

“It wasn’t promoted. When my album came out, I didn’t even have a song out on the radio. Nobody does that. [The label was] spread thin. When I was making my record, the CEO left. He retired. They brought in Gary [Overton]. My A&R left. They brought in somebody else. I went through four heads of promotion when my record was coming out. The only consistency was inconsistency.”

Kellie also admits that recording 100 Proof was “hell.”  “We couldn’t agree on songs.” Kelly told EW “The thing is, my life is a country song. I don’t need to be manufactured, and I don’t need anyone to tell me what to say or what to sing.”

She also hinted that she’d be going with an independent label this time around,because they have “something to prove” and are “all about the music.”

I really hope this report is true. I’m rooting for Kellie to get back on her feet as quickly as possible. That girl was born to be a country music star.

Any speculation on who Kellie could be signing with? Hm…Kellie is set for a cameo in Bucky Covington’s new music video for his single, “Drinking Side of Country.”  Could she be signing with Bucky’s independent label, eOne Nashville? DISCUSS.

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  • windmills

    Yay!!

    MJ: I really hope this report is true. I’m rooting for Kellie to get back on her feet as quickly as possible. 

    Me too! IA about Kellie being born to be a country music star too.

    I wonder if this new deal will mean the new label picks up promo of 100 Proof and sends a new single to radio? If so then there’s probably a revenue sharing arrangement with Sony Nashville in place. I think Kellie’ll be hard at work on new music either way. I’m VERY glad she’s moving on quickly and keeping her music career active, and her visibility’s been top notch lately.

    My guesses as to Kellie’s new label home:

    1) Bigger Picture (Alan Jackson and Zac Brown Band’s producer Keith Stegall’s the head there)
    2) eOne Nashville

  • http://twitter.com/rascalete FrannieluvsDC

    I am not surprise at what Kellie reports about RCA, I thought the same was happening to David Cook. It seems like RCA has their favorites that they will pimp no matter how talented the artist is. If you are not in the ‘golden club’ they let you hang by your feet . I am glad that Kellie and David Cook both have left RCA. I know David will do fine as a independent artist, Kellie too.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AGWO435FL6UN2ICRVTFLWRJZSA Lexie

    I hope all above are right…loved 100 proof.  I truly hope she lands somewhere (and since I have only good wishes for all the Idols, hope for David Cook,too)!!

  • V Jemmy

    Hope that this is true.  Would like to see Kellie get somewhere, even if I’ll never buy her music.

  • Anonymous

    She is someone who had to learn to be a fighter and a survivor I wish her the best with her new deal.

  • Anonymous

    I hope this is true. She really does deserve to be a star. Following these idols as I’ve been the last few years it makes me upset when they put out their best work that either label politics, a fickle public, or lack of promotion screws it all up. I like Kellie and her style of country music. She’s also funny, pretty, intelligent, and charismatic. Sign the woman!

  • Anonymous

    This is really great news, I’m glad she isn’t letting the label split get her down and is forging ahead.

    I listened to the 100 Proof album, and it was a little too country for me to go ahead & purchase, but I think Kellie is really talented and has a lovely voice.  She also couldn’t have a more adorable personality so it’s hard to see how she won’t succeed in the entertainment business somewhere.

    Best of luck to her.

  • tomr

    Love Kellie!  Will follow her anywhere she chooses to go.  Best of everything to her!

  • pj

    I love old country better than the new pop-country stuff, so go Kellie!  I haven’t bough 100 Proof, but I keep meaning to do so.  Maybe now is the time.

  • http://twitter.com/BobbiNJ Bobbi

    Love Kellie, country music and 100 Proof! I had such high hopes for that cd and it was obvious, that nothing was being done to sell it other than Kellie’s own efforts. If she gets a label behind her that understands her music, and can produce another cd as well regarded as 100 Proof is, she should surprise a lot of people! 

  • fuzzywuzzy

    Although I’m not a fan of Kellie’s music, she is a delightful person and such a hoot in interviews, especially on Ellen where she’s a favorite guest.  I still smile when I think about when she sat on Clint Eastwood’s lap. lol  Best of luck to her!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SYFK77IYLRQIVATQ2MJKSW2J7Y Pam

    Kellie is just awesome.  I really hope a deal is close at hand for her.  She has a great personality and can sing up a storm.  She deserves to have some good fortune coming her way.  

  • Anonymous

    Hopefully Kellie lands on her feet and ends up with a label that promotes her better. I’m not a country music person, but she seems like a great person so hopefully something good happens for her in her career.

  • Anonymous

    Although I’m not a fan of Kellie’s music, she is a delightful person and such a hoot in interviews, especially on Ellen where she’s a favorite guest.  I still smile when I think about when she sat on Clint Eastwood’s lap. lol  Best of luck to her!

    See… while I think 100 Proof is definitely Kellie’s best work, she is just not this awesome singer. She’s okay. Her tone is a bit brittle IMHO. Her instincts are fantastic and her life is definitely ‘country music’ but she doesn’t have the best voice in country.

    That said, she is incomparable as an entertainer. You do not have to be a country music lover to love Kellie. She is just so funny, so cute, so delightful. I really believe this is where she should go. Because not many peeps can do what she does in this arena.

    This is her gift.  Ah. IMHO. ;-)

  • RustySax

    Just saw Kellie in concert last Friday nite here in CA.  Funny as ever banter between songs, even getting in some digs at being dropped by her label.  NO comments about upcoming prospects, other than she’s continuing to tour. (Saw her bus, too – fabulous!!)

    Caro – I’ll agree that Kellie’s not as good a singer as Kelly or Carrie, but she can carry a tune live without requiring AutoTune.  Sadly, this is something her best friend cannot do live, even tho she’s sold a gazillion records.  Her style is definitely traditional country, not the pop sound they’re calling country nowadays.  She can wail on a pop country song tho – got a huge response to “The Best Days Of Your Life.”

    IMHO, Kellie’s biggest problem is radio.  Since country station PD’s have gone pop, traditional artists have struggled.  Which is pretty sad, because the roots of country music are within the traditional sound spectrum.

    Kellie’s a survivor, and will have a nice career.  May not be as big as the other girls mentioned, but she’s not going to have to worry where her next meal’s coming from.  Don’t be surprised to see her on TV somewhere down the road, girl’s got great comedic timing.

    BTW, after her encore, she stayed onstage and signed autographs for close to 45 minutes, no big security force, just her tour mgr helping to juggle items.  Chatted with fans, gladly took cell phone photos, signed all kinds of items – including a very pregnant baby bump!  One of her roadies told me she does this after every single show – she’s that appreciative of her fans.  Sweet, eh?