Congrats to Lee DeWyze. The American Idol season 9 winner just landed a new publishing deal at SONGS, the publishing company that’s home to The Weeknd, Diplo, Lorde, and DJ Mustard according to Variety.
After stints with Vanguard and Shanachie Records, and ever since his “Blackbird Song” was chosen for a key scene in The Walking Dead, Lee has seen more than 30 placements in television shows and commercials.
“It’s been an exciting time over the past year,” the singer told Variety. “The deal with SONGS is a great next step for me in my career. I was always a songwriter, and it really came to the forefront when I went over to Vanguard and was able to make, what I consider, the first record that was through-and-through all me.”
That album, Frames, included the song “Don’t Be Afraid,” which landed in a Blue Cross/Blue Shield commercial campaign. Placements on the NHL, ABC’s The Fosters and CBS’ Elementary followed.
“While signings such as The Weeknd and Lorde put us on the map, SONGS’ number one priority remains our dedication to our writers — big and small and in all stages of their career,” said Amanda Tufeld, SONGS’ director of creative services, “Lee is an extraordinarily talented songwriter and will prove to be a great addition to the SONGS family.”
“Songwriting is really at the core of what they do, as it is at the core of who I am,” added Lee. “I felt like SONGS was the place I belonged.”
Lee doesn’t currently have a label deal, but with his success licensing his music commercially, does he really need one?
