JANET GOES ISLAND-HOPPING

The singer released a single album, Discipline, last February, which sold a disappointing 415k copies, leading to her criticizing the label’s handling of the disc.

Her constant companion, Jermaine Dupri, continues at the label as head of Urban Music.

A statement from her camp says Jackson ""will have autonomy over her career, without the restrictions of a label system. Always known to break new ground and set trends, Janet's departure from Island makes her one of the first superstar artists to have the individual freedom to promote their work through a variety of avenues such as iTunes, mobile carriers and other diverse and innovative channels."

Jackson is currently on the road with her first tour in seven years, "Rock Witchu," with support from LL Cool J and Donnie Klang. The Live Nation-promoted outing began Sept. 10 in Vancouver and runs through Oct. 22 in Dallas, leading to speculation the concert promotion giant could well be a possible future home alongside Jay-Z, Madonna, Shakira and Nickelback.