Former Little Mix member Jesy Nelson signs solo deal with YMU

Jesy Nelson inked a solo album deal with global talent management company YMU just months after she left Little Mix in December.

The singer joins other U.K.-based clients represented by the company including Take That, Ant & Dec, Fearne Cotton, and DJ Steve Aoki. In a statement shared by Music Week, she expressed her excitement to join MYU and start the next chapter in her singing career.

Meanwhile, Mary Bekhait, group CEO of YMU, praised Nelson for her talent as she welcomed her to the company.

"Jesy has enjoyed incredible success as a recording artist and performer and is well placed to further her remarkable career," Bekhait said in a statement adding, "She is a hugely talented, versatile, and authentic artist with a strong creative vision, and we are looking forward to helping her realise that."

News of her solo album deal came after speculations that she has parted ways with music label RCA and with its parent company, Sony. A source claimed that the 29-year old has been on the hunt for a new team since she left Little Mix and that she is on the lookout for a new PR firm to handle her upcoming projects.

"All signs point to a clean break and totally new direction," the source told The Daily Star.

"She's spent the last decade in the pop machine being told what do and wear – she's probably ready to take control herself," added another music insider.

Nelson has been hinting at solo music since she left Little Mix after nine years together. On Feb. 16, she shared a selfie on Instagram and captioned it "Let's go" along with a few musical notes emoji. She also posted a photo taken inside a recording studio and her recent one showed her in what she called "studio attire."

Nelson revealed that she parted ways with Little Mix because she could no longer handle the pressures of being in a girl group. She said the criticism and the demands took their toll on her mental health. She left to take some time off for herself although at the time she did not mention any plans of going solo.