Having learned that their new deal includes a year’s supply of scones and clotted cream, Marlon puts on his mirrored shades to hide his tears of joy. Behind him are, from left, Island Records Product Manager Sam Flynn, A&R Ollie Harrop, Island President Darcus Beese, manager Alfie Hollingsworth and Island MD Jon Turner.

New U.K. deals include signings at Island Records, XL and Imagem, while former Westlife member Shane Filan has agreed on a JV with Absolute Label Services for his third record.

British singer/songwriter Marlon Roudette has signed to Darcus Beese’s UMG imprint Island ahead of the release of his latest track, “Ultra Love,” co-written with Swedish writers Joacim Persson and Sebastian Arman. According to this blog, the artist has a top list of collaborators for his new music including Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams), Jimmy Napes (Sam Smith) and Amy Wadge (Ed Sheeran). Over at Richard Russell’s XL, Manhattan rapper Patrick Morales of Harlem trio Ratking has signed as a solo act under the name Wiki.

Shane Filan will release Love Always on Ocean Wave Records on 8/25, with recently named Absolute Senior Label Manager Fraser Ealey helming the record’s coordination. Filan's previous two albums went via Universal and Warner’s East West, hitting #6 and #11 on the U.K. charts respectively.

Over in the publishing world, Imagem U.K. has signed a multi-year worldwide agreement with poetic London rapper Ché Lingo, and Phrased Differently has agreed a long-term deal with songwriter Nathan Duvall, founder of production trio Disciples. (The team worked with Calvin Harris on 2015 smash “How Deep Is Your Love”).