Nandi’s silent break-up
STAR SHOOTING AD WITH PHARRELL
NOT only has Nandi Mngoma jetted out of the country for a shoot with Pharell Williams in London, the singer has also left her record company Universal Music after a dispute.
Sowetan understands that Mngoma left the giant stable after the company failed to market her album and pay for her studio time. The situation was so dire that the 27-year-old paid for her studio time and roped in clothing store Legit, who Mngoma is an ambassador for, to pay for one of her music videos.
Mngoma is currently in London after she, Minnie Dlamini, Pearl Thusi and musician Chiano Sky, were hand-picked by Williams to shoot an ad campaign for Woolworths. Mngoma downplayed the divorce with the big stable.
“’I m grateful to Universal Music for believing in me and my music from the first day that I walked through their doors. It ’ s been a good journey, but as they say, all good things come to an end. I ’ m on this new path now and I feel that I ’ m headed in the right direction,” she said.
But in a termination agreement letter seen by Sowetan, Randall Abrahams, Universal managing director noted: “Save for the payment of royalties to you in respect of recordings made prior to the termination date, you shall have no further claims of whatsoever nature against Universal arising from this agreement, and Universal shall have no obligations of whatsoever nature, whether as to recordings or any other matter, except for the payment of royalties to you, and such obligations are hereby extinguished.
“All agreements, deals and features involving you as an artist during the term and prior to the termination date shall be paid as per the artist agreement terms.”
The letter states that Mngoma will be have to share 30% of her earnings.
Ownership of her master recordings produced by Universal and her recorded performances, as well as copyright in the sound recordings will be with Universal.
For her termination of the contract they want to lay claim to five percent on the published price to dealer and 10 or 15 percent of net earnings for digital and mobile releases for her next three albums and all singles released during that time.
Vista Kalipa, the musician ’ s manager, said after three years with Universal Mngoma has decided to carve a path for herself outside of the confinements of a record label.
The manager confirmed that there had been conflict between the singer and the company.
“Yes, there is a disagreement between the two parties and a difference of opinion on certain matters that are privy only to Nandi and Universal.”
“Her new direction is to stick to the dance music genre and really solidify her place there. She ’ s working on a couple of projects which will be announced soon. By way of music, she ’ s working on other tracks and when she feels she has enough material, then an album will be a consideration.”
Dharam Sewraj of Universal did little to bring light on the matter, only saying: “We have no issue with Nandi.”