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David Archuleta's camp knows what works.

E! News has exclusively learned that the 17-year-old crooner is working on songs for his debut album with Rock Mafia Productions, the Santa Monica-based tune factory behind the Miley Cyrus hits "7 Things" and "See You Again."

A source tells us that Jeff Archuleta, the little one's infamous father-manager (dadager, perhaps?), recently met with Rock Mafia producers Antonina Armato and Tim James, who cowrote and coproduced eight of the tracks on Cyrus' latest album, Breakout. They have also worked with Mariah Carey, Vanessa Hudgens and Aly & AJ.

Father and son came away from the powwow convinced they should proceed "in that direction," our insider said. "They want a Miley touch to the album."

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There's a lot to be said for the company you keep, which is no doubt why reigning American Idol champ David Cook has opted to team up with a Grammy-winning producer for his forthcoming solo album.

Joining an already rock-credentialed roster of talent that has lended a hand on Cook's untitled album, due sometime this November, is producer Rob Cavallo, whose résumé boasts collaborations with Green Day, Kid Rock, Eric Clapton, My Chemical Romance, Goo Goo Dolls and the Dave Matthews Band.

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Nigel Lythgoe is striking before the iron cools off.

The American Idol executive producer, who flashes his extremely pearly whites in front of the camera as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance, announced he's leaving the über-successful singing competition, which is heading into its eighth season on a ratings downswing despite still being the most watched show on TV.

"I will step back from my day-to-day producing work on American Idol and will be devoting my time" to a new development venture with 19 Entertainment head and fellow Idol mastermind Simon Fuller, Lythgoe said in a statement obtained Monday by E! News.

"Due to the huge success of So You Think You Can Dance, my summer will be taken up by travels to South Africa, Australia and Canada to work on local versions of the show," the 59-year-old former dancer-choreographer said.

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