Kat DeLuna Splits with Epic Records: What's Next?

Even the most talented artists are splitting with their record labels these days.

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After selling close to one million digital copies of her first single, "Whine Up," and being poised to become the next Latina pop star just one year ago, Kat DeLuna has announced that she's leaving Epic Records and moving on as an independent artist. The singer's reps recently broke the news themselves by releasing this statement to Billboard: "I am excited to step into a new phase of my career. As a young artist, I am always looking for innovative ways to expand my opportunities, from recording to performing, and I felt this was the right time to make a change. I truly do appreciate everyone at Epic Records' support of my career and wish them all the best."

Blogs are stoking the rumor that Epic actually terminated its contract with the Dominican singer, and sadly, we wouldn't be too shocked if this were true. After all, U.S. sales of Kat's debut album, 9 Lives, are tallied at an underwhelming 63,000 since its August 2007 release, and her second single, "Run the Show," wasn't a smash hit like "Whine Up."

Regardless of who did the dropping, though, we think this is a smart move for Kat. Being free from a record label with a dying business model can only be a good thing, and now she has much more control over her career. We smell a comeback! Do you?

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