"Whatcha Say" (CD single) (by Jason Derulo, R&B)

Simon Cowell isn't the only American Idol judge signing new artists beyond the show: judge Kara DioGuardi (who also serves as senior VP of A&R at Warner Brothers Records) is seeking out her own new talent, like 19-year-old Jason Derulo. DioGuardi recently signed Derulo to be the first artist on the new Beluga Heights / Warner Brothers label. After writing songs for huge stars like Lil Wayne, Pitbull, Sean Kingston, and Diddy, Derulo is going his own route with his new single WHATCHA SAY -- a track about a guy who cheats on his girl and then tries to get her back. Fortunately, Derulo refrains from describing the explicit details of his escapades and avoids foul language in general.

Though Derulo falls back on the Auto-tune in parts of this song, he deserves props for his imaginative sampling in the single. Borrowing from the work of super-talented singer-songwriter Imogen Heap (who also fronts the trip-hop duo Frou Frou), he creates a smooth, catchy song that's somewhat reminiscent of an Usher tune. With that kind of vibe, it's easy to see how the single has become a big iTunes draw. 

Released on: June 16, 2009
Label: Warner Brothers
Genre: R&B