British singer Joe McElderry has landed a new record deal months after Simon Cowell dropped him from his label.
The star shot to fame after winning British reality show The X Factor in 2009, and he hit the top spot in the singles chart with his debut, a cover of Miley Cyrus' The Climb.
However, his first album, Wide Awake, peaked at number three, and his subsequent singles failed to set the charts alight - prompting Cowell to drop him from his Syco record label.
But MCElderry has bounced back and landed a new recording deal. He's set to sign his contract later this month (Jul11) and insists he's glad not to be part of Cowell's empire any longer.
He tells Britain's Sunday Star, "I'm so happy to be releasing another album. I can't really talk about it yet, but it's going to be pop... and it will be more ballads and grown up than my first album.
"To be honest, I'm glad to be out of The X Factor machine."