Thug Life Army

By Chi Chi Izundu & Mark Savage

Pop star Kylie Minogue has signed a management deal with Jay-Z's music label Roc Nation.

The surprise announcement was made on the label's website on Tuesday night.

Based in New York, the company will give Minogue a permanent foothold in the US, where she has never managed to achieve sustained success.

US trade paper Billboard said a new single from the Australian singer was due "soon", after more than a year spent working on her 12th studio album.

Minogue parted company with British label EMI last year, after it was taken over by rival music company Universal.

The European Commission only approved the takeover on the condition that Universal sold Parlophone, which was also home to Blur and Lily Allen.

It is understood that Parlophone will continue to release Minogue's music, while Roc Nation will handle her management.

Although she has worked with several record labels over her 25-year career, this is the first time the star has changed her management, after amicably parting from fellow Australian Terry Blamey in January.

Roc Nation is also home to Rihanna, Rita Ora, MIA and Calvin Harris - and last week signed hip-hop producer Timbaland.

Minogue and Timbaland will appear on stage together at Roc Nation benefit concert this weekend, following the Grammy Awards.

'Excited'

In a statement, the label said: "Roc Nation would like to welcome Aussie singer, recording artist, songwriter, actress and designer Kylie Minogue to the family".

"She has released over 50 hit singles worldwide, including the Grammy-winning Come Into My World, and has sold more than 68 million albums worldwide. Needless to say, we're excited to have Kylie join the Roc fam."

Kylie also tweeted the news to her fans, saying: "Kisses from my new home rocnation"

The former soap star, whose hits include I Should Be So Lucky and Spinning Around, celebrated her 25th year in the music industry last year.

But, despite her status in Europe and Australia, her US career has been patchy. She has only entered the top 10 twice, with Locomotion in the 1988 and Can't Get You Out Of My Head in 2002.

However, she successfully staged her first tour in the States in 2009, off the back of her last album, Aphrodite.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/21361704