THE Qwabe twins wowed Mzansi with their melodious voices on Idols SA.
And many people thought they would go far as they hit all the right notes.
But in a move that left many shocked and disappointed, Virginia was eliminated from the show and Viggy quit soon after that.
READ: PICS: QWABE TWINS MEET THEIR FANS!
There seemed to be a light at the end of the tunnel for the sisters when DJ Tira said he was interested in working with them.
On Saturday evening, they had a surprise performance at rapper AKA’s Orchestra event at the Durban ICC and are part of the Afrotainment team.
However, the twins were allegedly in breach of their contracts.
Their manager, Kim Coppen, said Viggy and Virginia had three contracts with Gallo Records, Idols SA and Think Entertainment.
The Gallo contract is responsible for all their recording deals, Think Entertainment handles management including their appearances, dealings and bookings, while the Idols SA contract is for their participation in the show and agreement that they would comply with its rules and regulations.
Coppen told Daily Sun that according to their contract, the twins could not make public appearances or be booked without her knowledge. This would be in breach of contract.
“It doesn’t matter whether they will be paid or not. This means I should have been informed about this, but no one bothered to inform me. They have breached their contract and we’re working with the family to find a way forward,” she said.
“They’re still bound by the rules although they left the competition. They’re still under Gallo, Idols SA and my agency.”
She could not comment on the nature of the contracts as it was confidential.
She was aware of reports that singer Zahara was interested in the twins and that they were often seen with Tira, but she haden’t been approached by them.
READ: DJ TIRA SNATCHES THE QWABE TWINS BEFORE ZAHARA!
“It would be illegal if they sign them without approaching us,” she said.
DJ Tira said he had no agreement with the twins.
“I’m merely assisting them to kickstart their music careers. I wouldn’t want to see local talent going to waste.
“I took them to AKA’s event for a public appearance. They did that for free and their fans were happy to see them.
“In the next few days they will be at Afrotainment studios recording their music, but this doesn’t mean I have a contract with them.”
The twins’ father Laurance said he was not contacted by Coppen.
“I’m not aware of any breach of contract, but if they believe so then I’ll have to wait for Coppen to approach us,” he said.
Gallo Records’ Rob Cowling said the twins were still contracted to them.
“We can’t divulge contract specifics as these are private contracts, but it’s a full recording contract,” he said.
They were not aware Viggy and Virginia performed at the orchestra event.
“We’ve contacted DJ Tira, outlining our position that the twins are already signed and that Gallo would be open to having a discussion with them on the way forward. We have not yet had a response.
“The twins have also not been in touch with Gallo to discuss or for any further clarity on the recording contracts they have already signed.”
Cowlin said this was a unique situation as the Idols SA winner got a record deal, but Gallo only knew who won after the finale.
“So because the priority of the Idols competition is to find and record the winner, Gallo has a first option to record other contestants (including the twins), but only within a certain period of time after the Idols final.
“This is to allow for some time to finish the competition and discover the winner before Gallo is able to consider which other contestants they’d like to invest in developing and recording and which they would like to release from their contract obligations.
“This is part of Gallo’s commitment to Idols and our constantly evolving approach to marketing and promoting local talent that we believe deserves to be heard and supported.”
