Dublin singer-songwriter Laura Isibor is poised to sign on the dotted line with a major American record company.

"The details are more or less sorted at our end but with Laura still only 16, the label in question is having everything triple-checked by its lawyers," her manager Edison Waters tells hotpress.com

Although Waters prefers not to name to names at this stage, the word on the industry grapevine is that Isibor is being courted by Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears' label, Jive.
"With all the mergers and lay-offs it's been a bit of a minefield deciding which company to go with, but we're confident we've got the right one," Waters resumes. "There's a tutor for Laura factored into the deal so, depending on how quickly producers fall into place, there could be an album out by this time next year."

In the meantime, the 2003 2FM Jacob's Song Contest winner has been writing for a number of established UK acts. "Laura already has enough songs for three albums, so she doesn't mind giving a few away," Waters laughs. "No, it's something she wanted to try and which is working out well."

Also landing themselves a Stateside deal this week are Grada who've had their new album, The Landing Step, picked up by Nashville's Compass Label. Jazzy in a trad sort of a way, the Irish-New Zealand outfit's recent collaborators include Frames drummer Dave Hingerty, Damien Rice cellist Vyvienne Long and Waterboy Trevor Hutchinson. Compass is a veritable home from home for Irish artists with their U.S. roster also including Paul Brady, Sharon Shannon, Lunasa and Dervish.

Back on this side of the Atlantic and Irish doom merchants Mourning Beloveth have landed a four-album deal with Germany's Grau Records. A big draw on the metal underground, the band are just back from a sell-out jaunt round Germany, Belgium and Holland.