David Archuleta Wants the "Miley Touch"

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 Records, 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 Antonia 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 that they should proceed "in that direction," our insider said. "They want a Miley touch to the album."

Well, Archuleta will certainly need a wealth of infectious pop to equal his Disney-driven forebear, especially now that his label has orchestrated a plan to have his freshman effort drop the same day as American Idol winner David Cook's debut, sometime in November.

Over the next two weeks, David A. will record at least two Rock Mafia-sanctioned songs that 19 Recordings and RCA Records are hoping could turn into hit singles, the source said.

"David knows he needs to have a big radio hit, and Miley's producers are the closest thing he can get to a guarantee."

Brett Ratner: Miley's Madonna Vibe Was "Just Unbelievable"

Nancy Kaszerman/ZUMAPress.com, Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

Working with Miley Cirus reminded Bret Ratner of a "Beautiful Stranger" he once knew.

“She turns it on,” the filmmaker, who last month directed the video for Cyrus' new single "7 Things," exclusively tells E! News. “A lot like Madonna.”

Ratner, who also helmed the pop icon's "Beautiful Stranger" video for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, says he sees many similarities between Miley and Madonna, besides the whole first-initial thing.

“Where a lot of other artists are nervous or they’re primping, you know, Madonna walks on and is casual; cameras are on her and then all of the sudden, wow!” Ratner says.

“Same thing with Miley. She’s hanging out, she’s telling the jokes, she’s laughing, she’s signing an autograph.

"Camera goes on her and she was just unbelievable.”

And it takes a lot to impress the X-Men: The Last Stand director, who in addition to ordering around Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry has collaborated multiple times with seasoned divas such as Mariah Carey and Jessica Simpson.

“She’s just a hard worker,” Ratner says of Cyrus. “She knows what her job is; she came and gave me 200 percent.”

Ratner also says that he was shocked that, of all the stars he has worked with in the past, he got the most personal requests from friends and friends-of-friends to scope out the “7 Things” shoot.

“Like I said, I’ve shot for Madonna, Mariah Carey—some of the biggest artist in the world—and I’ve never had more calls,” Ratner says.

"I had at least a thousand calls. 'Can I just come by the set and watch Miley?’ and I’m like, 'But you’re 40 years old!' "

"7 Things" was the first single off of Cyrus' upcoming album Breakout, the 15-year-old's first effort not involving her Disney Channel alter ego, Hannah Montana (who will surely be there in spirit).

The album is out July 22.

by E!