The four lads of Jack the Lad Swing have completed their five-year contract with and Epic Records and made the decision to go their separate ways following a farewell tour in December.

“It’s just that time. We are still best of friends and always will be — but this is the end.” Aston Merrygold told The Sun.

The boys rose to fame after their appearance on ITV’s X-Factor, coming in second place in 2009. 

“We are the first X Factor act to finish a five-year recording contract. If we wanted to carry on and sign to another label, it was going to be another three, four or five albums. So we all thought about it for a few months and it sort of made sense to say we were moving on with our lives.”

%TNT Magazine% JLS split up
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The band have sold over 10 million records worldwide, hit the top of the charts 5 times and made themsleves an estimated £6 million each during their pop career.

“The question was asked, ‘Can you do this together for another five or so years?” said Merrygold in the interview, recounting a band meeting. The band decided that signing a new record contract wasn’t something they were all willing to commit to.

%TNT Magazine% JLS perform at Brit Awards 2013
JLS performing at the Brit Awards in 2010

“We haven’t fallen out. We leave with some amazing successes under our belt and we can say goodbye in style.”

“The last five or so years have been nothing short of incredible. It has been an incredible journey.”

Images via Getty

Will JB Gill now sidestep into a farming career? The JLS singer recently appeared on the BBC’s Countryfile.