Speech Debelle Quits Label Over Sales Row

The 2009 Mercury Prize winner Speech Debelle has quit her record label after blaming the company for failing to capitalise on her album's artistic success. According to the singer, Big Dada -- a subsidiary of London-based label Ninja Tune -- failed to get enough copies of the album into record shops the weekend immediately after her win.

"The Mercury Prize was on a Tuesday, and the Friday there were no more physical albums in the shops.

"So on the Mercury weekend, which would have been my biggest selling weekend, people couldn't get it," Speech told BBC 6 Music.

She added: "I wasn't disappointed that it didn't sell well, I was disappointed in the people I was working with."

In the aftermath of her victory the album, 'Speech Therapy,' reached 65 in the charts before plummeting to 90 the week after. However, according to the singer, online retailer Amazon had reported a 4000% increase in demand for the album which she said proved her label weren't getting enough copies of the album out into the marketplace.

"I wasn't on a big label and the machine wasn't there," she continued. "So even though the album won the Mercury it was still only able to do what the label was capable of doing, which just means that I'm more prepared for next time."

Speech is about to start work on 'Speech Therapy''s follow up with producer Wayne Lo-Tek and will feature contributions from MC Rodney P and Faithless vocalist Maxi Jazz. She also hopes to have a new deal in place early next year.