Image copyright Getty Images

Little Mix have split from Simon Cowell's record label days before the release of their new album.

The X Factor-winners, Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock, will no longer work with Syco.

They'll move to the label RCA, which is part of the larger Sony Group, which also includes Syco.

It is said to be down to problems between Simon Cowell's label and Little Mix's management company, Modest.

A spokeswoman for Simon Cowell said: "Syco Music will no longer work with Modest Management and therefore any artists signed to that management company.

"We do, of course, wish all artists affected by this decision every future success.

"Consequently, LM5, the forthcoming Little Mix album A&R'd [promoted] and released on Syco Music, is to be serviced by RCA at the request of Syco and Simon Cowell."

Image copyright PA Image caption Little Mix perform with Nicki Minaj at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2018 in Bilbao, Spain

It's believed the group have had disagreements with Simon Cowell's label over the making of their new record and their musical direction.

Fuelling fans' suspicions the group may be about to leave Syco earlier this week, Jesy liked an Instagram post captioned "they're gonna leave Syco".

And other fans appear delighted at the news of the split.

One fan posting a picture of the Prime Minister, Theresa May, dancing on to the stage at the Conservative party conference with the caption "Be like.. *byyyyyeee!* 😂"

Little Mix, whose latest single, Woman Like Me is currently number three in the official UK singles charts, shot to fame after winning X Factor in 2011.

They originally auditioned for series eight as solo artists and were all rejected during bootcamp.

But their judge, Tulisa along with fellow mentor, Kelly Rowland, decided to give them another go and put them together as a group, called Rhythmix.

They later changed their title as it became clear a charity had the same name.

Like all X Factor winners they bagged a recording contract with Simon Cowell's label, Syco.

But very few X Factor artists remain signed to the label - with the series 12 winner, Louisa Johnson, recently being dropped apparently over disagreements about her musical direction.

It was said to be a mutual decision.

Ella Henderson, who was on the show in 2012 and went on to release a number one single, Ghost, is also no longer signed to Syco.

And, Cher Lloyd, who came fourth on the seventh series, has told Newsbeat about her struggle to release new music after leaving the label.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Little Mix pose on the red carpet ahead of the MTV Europe Music Awards 2018 in Bilbao

The timing of Little Mix's split comes just days before the long-awaited release of their fifth album, LM5, on 16 November.

It's been two years since their last one and the band have barely taken a break since.

There's even been controversy among some Little Mix fans about the title of their fifth record LM5.

Many have been using the name for years as a way to reference their upcoming music - but some call it "lazy."

Others see it as a sign that Little Mix are a group in tune with their audience - possibly more so than a lot of their peers.

Little Mix's new label, RCA, will now deal with all the marketing and promotion relating to LM5.

They'll be touring around the UK from next October, nearly a year on from its release.

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