MUMBAI: EMI Music Publishing has signed an exclusive publishing agreement with hit singer, songwriter and producer Amanda Ghost.

The long-term deal will see Ghost join EMI Music Publishing’s unrivalled roster of current songwriters, which also includes Alicia Keys, Arctic Monkeys, Natasha Bedingfield, The Feeling, Jay-Z, My Chemical Romance, Take That, Kanye West and Amy Winehouse.

Ghost is a rising star in the writing world, having recently been described in the Independent of London as “Britain‘s most influential songwriter”. Her co-writing credits include the Grammy-nominated Beautiful Liar (performed by Beyonce and Shakira), You’re Beautiful (James Blunt), Tattoo (American Idol 2007 winner Jordin Sparks) as well as the theme for the NBC drama Journeyman. She is currently working with her normal songwriting partner Ian Dench on projects with Mark Ronson, Jack Splash, Stargate, JR Rotem, Daniel Merriweather, Will I. Am and Johnny Flynn.

EMI Music Publishing UK managing director Guy Moot commented, “Amanda has incredible versatility across many genres, as well as that all-important ability to write a killer hook. We’re really pleased to have this opportunity to work with her over the coming years to help develop her career even further.”

Amanda Ghost said, “I have been really impressed by the way EMI supports its writers and am looking forward to working with Guy and his team.”

In addition to her current songwriting ventures, Ghost is now working with Liam Howlett as a consultant on The Prodigy’s forthcoming album, and will be teaming up with Beyonce later in the year. She is shortly making available a download-only collection of her performances as an artist on her own Plan A Records and is working on a major new album project for release next year.

In addition, she plans to expand her activity as a record producer and broadcaster in 2008.