Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Laine Hardy performs during the American idol Seson 17 finale. (ABC Photo)

In a move that will surprise no one, Laine Hardy has signed his deal with Hollywood Records/Industrial Media’s 19 Recordings.

What will be interesting to watch is the timing of the debut album from American Idol’s Season 17 winner.

ABC’s first Idol winner, Maddie Poppe, didn’t release her first album until a full year after the show, though she dropped three or four single songs in between.

But she was busy with the American Idol summer tour last summer. This summer, there is no tour, leaving more time for Laine to focus on launching his original music.

Speaking of which, his Idol single “Flame” is still doing well on the charts. As of 9 a.m. Saturday morning, it was in the Top 30 on iTunes singles charts — it had peaked at number two — and was still number one on the rock chart.

The Blast got a look at the 2019 American Idol contract because one of the Idol finalists — Madison VanDenburg — was a minor and it had to be filed in court.

That contract, per the site, calls for the winner to get $125,000 to begin the album and $125,000 when it’s complete; the album is due in four months.

The winner is also paid $1,000 per week while recording the album and $1,000 per master recording turned in, plus 15 percent royalties once the music is released.

But the winner is also required to pay back 50 percent of the costs spent marketing them.

Hollywood Records also has the option of signing the runner-up, Alejandro Aranda.

Here’s “Flame.”