Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Update: I suppose this qualifies as a release.

Melanie Amaro’s single, “Don’t Fail Me Now,” is streaming on Us Weekly, and it’s not the power ballad some might have expected from the gal who showed so much vocal range on Season 1 of The X Factor.

Instead, Melanie shows off her range on a dance tune.

And, if there was any question about the song’s title, there shouldn’t be by the end of the 3 minutes of so.

Melanie sings the line “don’t fail me now” no fewer than 22 times during a tune unlikely to win awards for lyrical richness.

Head here for a listen.

You can also listen on Melanie’s website. No word on when the song will be available. It was produced by Rodney Jerkins and penned by Livvi Franc, according to that site.

Original blog: Melanie Amaro has been tweeting up a storm over the past couple of days about the release of her first single, “Don’t Fail Me Now,” which she says will be released Wednesday.

Melanie sent out a twitpic of the single cover art yesterday. And, on Saturday, she wrote “I really hope u all will enjoy this song! It comes from the heart! I sang this song with all of me!”

The song is also being promoted on Melanie’s website … in the first new post there since April.

That’s quite a disappearing act for the singer who walked away with the highly-touted $5 million prize for winning the first season of The X Factor, USA version.

Of course, this is really Melanie’s second single for those who can count. “Respect” was released as a single after Melanie performed it in a well-publicized Pepsi ad during the Super Bowl.

But the song failed to become a major hit.

In fact, The X Factor Season 1 cast is still looking for its first “hit.”

Chris Rene has released two singles, to dismal sales. Even “Young Homie,” the over-hyped song he kept singing over and over during Season 1, failed to crack the Hot 100 in its post-show release.

Marcus Canty also released a single without making a ripple on the Hot 100; and I haven’t spied Rachel Crow’s debut EP on the Billboard 200.

No official release date yet on a Melanie Amaro album.

But with Season 2 of The X Factor set to launch Sept. 11, I imagine we’ll hear something soon.