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"X Factor stars Union J have signed a record deal with Sony.  The boyband, who finished fourth in this year&amp;#039;s series, confirmed the news during a gig at Cardiff club Pulse on Saturday (December 15).  They also told the crowd that they intend to release an album next year. Speaking about their signing on Daybreak this morning (December 17), Union J member Jaymi Hensley said: &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s amazing. It&amp;#039;s been a crazy week. &amp;quot;Obviously when we came out of the show the dream was to get a record deal and we&amp;#039;re going to Sony today to sort out all the contracts and stuff. Before Christmas we will have our deal finalised.&amp;quot; Union J are the third act from The X Factor 2012 to receive a record deal after winner James Arthur and sixth-place finisher Ella Henderson.  Arthur reached number one with his debut single &amp;#039;Impossible&amp;#039; yesterday, which was also revealed as the fastest-selling single of the year.   Henderson, meanwhile, confirmed her deal with Sony during an appearance on Ireland&amp;#039;s The Saturday Night Show this weekend, saying: &amp;quot;I&amp;#039;m just so, so excited to go into a studio and finally do what I&amp;#039;ve always wanted to do.&amp;quot; Speaking to Digital Spy following their departure from The X Factor, Union J brushed off suggestions that they are coming after One Direction. &amp;quot;We don&amp;#039;t have the record sales and the millions of fans,&amp;quot; band memember Josh Cuthbert said. &amp;quot;You can&amp;#039;t even compare us to One Direction, they&amp;#039;ve done so well. &amp;quot;We&amp;#039;ve got to concentrate on getting the first song right.&amp;quot; Watch more of Digital Spy&amp;#039;s chat with Union J below:  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/music/the-x-factor/news/a445625/x-factor-union-j-sign-sony-record-deal/>