Rising star Ella Mai has signed an epic publishing deal with Sony/ATV. The singer/song-writer, who is enjoying worldwide success with her song “Boo’d Up”, has been nominated for two Grammy Awards and the BBC Sound of 2019, and won Song of the Year at the BET Soul Train Awards in November.

The London-born star has risen to number five on the Billboard Hot 100, with her track dominating Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for 16 weeks, the most by a female artist in the chart’s history. It was also the first number one hit by a British artist on the Hot R&B Songs chart since 1992.

Sony/ATV Co-President, Rick Krim said: “Ella Mai is an astonishing new talent who has rightly emerged as one of 2018’s biggest breakout artists. We are honoured that she has chosen Sony/ATV as her music publisher and we cannot wait to work with her on what promises to be an outstanding career.”

Speaking about the massive deal, Ella Mai said: “I’m looking forward to working together in the New Year!”

“Ella is one of the most exciting new artists to emerge this year. This is only the beginning for her and we are so excited to be her publishing partner as her star continues to rise,” say Jennifer Knoepfle, Sony/ATV SVP, Co-Head of West Coast A&R.

Sony/ATV Senior Director, A&R Jennifer Drake said: “Ella Mai is not just an R&B singer, she’s the epitome of a superstar that transcends cultures, genres and time. We will do great things together.”

Mai, 24, was crowned Best R&B/Soul Female Artist at the event in Las Vegas, and was also recognized for her song-writing skills, with her breakthrough hit “Boo’d Up” winning Song of the Year. She and the song’s other writers also received the Ashford and Simpson’s Songwriters Award named in honour of the legendary song-writing couple.

The success of “Boo’d Up” came several years after Mai launched her singing career, while a student at the acclaimed British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM), in London. Mai was been born and raised in London, but left at the age of 12 to move to New York City, only to return after graduating from high school.

During her time at BIMM, Mai auditioned as part of a group called ‘Arize’ for The X Factor, in the UK, but didn’t progress beyond the auditions phase. With the break-up of the group, Mai started posting up her music on Instagram, where she received her breakthrough, when she was discovered by the hit producer DJ Mustard, who signed her to his label 10 Summers Records, in early 2016.

Speaking about the deal, DJ Mustard said: “She’s the goat. She deserves it!”

Meanwhile Mai’s manager, Meko Yohannes, of 10 Summers Management, said: “We are excited about this partnership with Sony/ATV and look forward to working together to build Ella’s catalogue.”