Everyone's favorite Teen Angel, Taylor Hicks, has found himself a new label to call home. His next album will be released through the independent artist services company Artist to Market, according to a press release. The as-yet-untitled album, which the singer is working on with producer Simon Climie, is slated to be released February 10.
"In this digital age, when artists can connect more directly with audiences, this is a partnership that makes a lot of sense," Hicks said in the release.
In January, the "Idol" season-five victor was dumped by J Records, in what was described as a "mutual" split. At the time, Hicks' self-titled debut had scanned nearly 700,000 copies since hitting stores in 2006; it was the first album from an "Idol" winner that failed to reach the 1 million-sold mark. Hicks addressed the split on his MySpace page, saying that "artistic freedom and control [were] an exciting prospect" for him and that he'd begun writing tracks for his next album, which he had planned to release without a label.
Seven months later, he released Early Works, a compilation of his pre-"American Idol" songs on his own imprint, Modern Whomp Records, which Artist to Market will also be carrying.
In addition to the new album, Hicks also has plans to release a concert DVD, "Whomp at the Warfield," and will be back onstage this December when he reprises his role as Teen Angel for a national tour of “Grease.”