‘The X Factor’ UK: Little Mix, One Direction each ink new deals

For those of you wondering whether or not Little Mix was going to follow in the footsteps of another famed “X Factor” UK group in One Direction, we have a definitive answer for you now: yes.

According to some new reports floating around the United States, the girl group (who won the 2011 version of the show over Marcus Collins) has inked a deal with Columbia Records to bring music to America for the first time. Their debut single “Wings,” which hit #1 in the United Kingdom last year, will be out at some point in 2013. (Our guess is before summer so that they can capitalize on the same period that benefited both One Direction and Cher Lloyd.)

While Little Mix has not necessarily been on the same level as 1D since they won the show, there’s no question that they have been one of the show’s more-popular groups, and they are really the first girl group to ever have any impact at all from the show. “Wings” is a catchy song (you can hear it below), and the only thing that could hurt it is that the message in the lyrics has been played out pretty hard on American radio at this point.

In going back to One Direction, there are also reports coming out now that they have signed a new three-year contract with Sony, which means that they will continue to put out an album a year until 2015 at the earliest. There are some interesting clauses in here from what we are hearing, including one that stipulates that much of the money for the boys comes at the end of the contract, which gives them extra reasons to stick together rather than go their separate ways.

Do you think that Little Mix can be successful in America on the same level as the Spice Girls, or are we looking at a new Girls Aloud here in that they will remain primarily stars in Britain? If you want to read some more headlines on reigning champ James Arthur, you can do so over here.

Photo: ITV