Jesy Nelson has signed with Ariana Grande's record label in a bid to crack America.
Jesy Nelson
The former Little Mix singer is set to launch her solo career with her debut single expected to be released next month and has now penned a deal with Republic Records - who work with pop stars Ariana and Taylor Swift - to push her music in the United States.
Jesy already has a lucrative deal with Polydor Records in the UK and is looking to eclipse her former band by succeeding Stateside.
A music insider told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column: “Jesy never really managed to make it big in the States with Little Mix, but thanks to the deal with Republic, she’s got the best team around her.
"There is a real buzz when it comes to her solo career and this single could be the thing to take her career to the next level.”
The 30-year-old star teased her debut single earlier this week and described the upcoming release as a "new chapter" for her.
In a video clip posted on Instagram, Jesy said: "This is the new chapter for me. I don’t think anyone is going to expect this.”
It has also been speculated that Nicki Minaj will feature on the new track - which is expected to sample P Diddy, Black Rob and Mark Curry's 2001 song 'Bad Boy For Life'.
Jesy announced that she was quitting Little Mix after nine years in 2020 after saying that being part of the group - which also features Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall - had "really taken a toll" on her mental health.
She wrote: "The truth is recently being in the band has really taken a toll on my mental health. I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard.
"There comes a time in life when we need to reinvest in taking core of ourselves rather than focussing on making other people happy, and I feel like now is the time to begin that process.
"So after much consideration and with a heavy heart, I’m announcing I’m leaving Little Mix. I need to spend some time with the people I love, doing things that make me happy. I’m ready to embark on a new chapter in my life – I’m not sure what its going to look like right now, but I hope you’ll still be there to support me."
Tagged in Taylor Swift Ariana Grande Jesy Nelson