Lee DeWyze says he is hoping to avoid the stigma that comes with becoming an overnight success on TV's "American Idol."

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DeWyze, a 24-year-old former paint store worker, is the 2010 winner of the singing competition series.

Since being crowned the newest "American Idol," DeWyze has heard the show's ratings should have been higher, the "Idols Live" concert tour should have made more money and his album should have sold more copies, the Chicago Tribune noted Thursday.

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"I guess I haven't really talked much about it in any interviews," DeWyze told the newspaper, "but, you know, a big part of this process for me has been, there's definitely a stigma attached to 'American Idol,' whether people like it or not. You know, I'm not an idiot. I definitely know what people have said about -- whether it be ratings or shows or album sales or this or that. I know what's out there."

"But for me, it's like, when you're on 'American Idol,' you're almost expected to come out and be the biggest artist in the world, ever. And it's like, people don't understand sometimes that there's a lot more to it than just going on the show, winning, and then, 'Hey, I made an album, and I'm successful.' It's not like that."