Over 1.3 Million Orders for Ruben Studdard's 'Soulful' Much Anticipated American Idol Winner's Debut Album off to a Flying Start in Stores December 9th!

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 3, 2003--On December 9, J Records will release "Soulful", the debut album by "American Idol" 2003 winner Ruben Studdard, the Birmingham, Alabama native. Pre-orders for the much anticipated CD are now over the 1.3 Million mark, ensuring that the album will attain platinum status upon release. Clive Davis, Chairman and CEO-RCA Music Group served as producer for the album; hitmaking producers including The Underdogs, Irv Gotti, Harold Lilly and Swizz Beatz contributed to "Soulful," which features "Flying Without Wings" and "Superstar," the two-sided hit that reached No. 2 on both Hot 100 and R&B Singles at the end of June. Studdard's remake of the Leon Russell song (also covered by labelmate Luther Vandross) was one of the most played cuts on urban radio during the last six months. The new single from the album will be "Sorry 2004," produced by The Underdogs.

"Ruben Studdard is a major talent. His voice is distinctive and is instantly recognizable. With this album, he shows he will have a long and successful recording career." Clive Davis, Chairman and CEO-RCA Music Group.

“I got over stage fright early in life so I never got nervous doing the show, week after week”

Commenting on Ruben's exciting debut album, Studdard's manager Simon Fuller of 19 Entertainment who created and was the executive producer of "American Idol" (one of the highest rated shows in recent television history) adds "Ruben has one of the most soulful and remarkable voices I have ever heard. He is a wonderful and exciting new artist and deserves all the success that is coming his way"

Studdard, who was nicknamed the 'Velvet Teddy Bear' by the legendary soulful diva Gladys Knight, emerged as the spring winner of "American Idol" with over twenty-four million callers logged. "I got over stage fright early in life so I never got nervous doing the show, week after week," he says. "Having a career in music is what I've always wanted to do so this is the fulfillment of my dreams!"

In conjunction with the release of "Soulful," Ruben will be making key television appearances including "Dateline" (December 7), "The Today Show" (December 9), "Live With Regis & Kelly" (December 11) and "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno (December 12). Also being slated: appearances on "The View," "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "The Wayne Brady Show," with other major media spots planned for early 2004.

"Soulful" includes Studdard's emotion-filled rendition of classics such as the standard "For All We Know" and the Bee Gees' "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart," both produced by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken as well as several chartbound cuts including "What Is Sexy," produced by Irv Gotti and featuring singer Fat Joe; and "No Ruben," produced by Harold Lilly and Melvin "St Nick" Coleman. The Underdogs (Damon Thomas and Harvey Mason Jr.) - hitmakers for such artists as Whitney Houston, Justin Timberlake and Mariah Carey - produced three cuts including "What If" and "Flying Without Wings." Particularly special is "We Have Not Forgotten," which features gospel great Fred Hammond, who co-wrote and produced the track. Ruben considers Hammond "a major influence," along with artists like Stevie Wonder, Hathaway and Vandross.

Ruben - who can also be heard on the new best-selling "American Idol Great Holiday Classics" singing renditions of time-honored tunes "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" - sums up a whirlwind year of fulfilling dreams by simply saying, "I'm just doing my thing - and loving it!"

The RCA Music Group is a BMG-owned label group run by Clive Davis. The RCA roster is home to superstar artists Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews Band, The Strokes, Foo Fighters, David Gray, Heather Headley, Kelly Clarkson, and more. The J Records roster is home to platinum superstars Annie Lennox, Alicia Keys, Rod Stewart, Luther Vandross, Busta Rhymes, Tyrese and Monica, among others. Clive Davis, Chairman and CEO of the RCA Music Group, is the legendary executive who after helming Columbia Records for eight years, founded Arista Records in 1975 and nurtured many of today's top musical artists including Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, Santana, Patti Smith, Sarah McLachlan and Dido.

Ruben Studdard is managed by Simon Fuller, creator of American Idol and founder of the 19 Group Of Companies. Founded in 1985, the 19 group of companies has achieved over 35 No. 1 singles and 14 number 1 albums. Fuller created and managed the Spice Girls who became a global phenomenon under his guidance selling close to 40 million albums worldwide. In 1998, Fuller launched S Club 7 which has sold 10 million CDs worldwide while its three television series consistently topped children's viewing figures in the 104 countries where it was aired. In 2001, Fuller's 19TV created and produced the television phenomena "Pop Idol" and "American Idol" "Pop Idol" launched the singing careers of Will Young and Gareth Gates in the UK, both of whom are managed be Fuller and signed to his 19 Recordings label. "American Idol" did the same for Kelly Clarkson where, in the US alone, she has sold two million albums and had a number one single with "Miss Independent" and for Clay Aiken, whose debut CD "Measure Of A Man" debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and has sold 2 million CDs to date. Aiken is also a management client of Simon Fuller's as is Annie Lennox, Tamyra Gray and Ruben Studdard whose debut CD "Soulful" will be released on December 9.

BMG is the global music division of Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's leading media companies. BMG owns more than 200 record labels in 42 countries including Ariola, Arista Records, J Records, Jive Records, RCA Records and RCA Label Group - Nashville. In addition, BMG's music publishing operations are the third largest in the world.