Singer-songwriter Zoë Modiga has broken her silence over the release of a remix of her song “Thula”, featuring Culoe De Song, making it clear that she did not authorise or approve the release.
The statement comes after Modiga publicly announced the end of her personal and professional relationship with musician and producer Banda Banda, with whom she shared years of creative history.
The latest development has now placed their complicated split back in the spotlight, particularly because the song at the centre of the dispute is connected to work created during their years of collaboration.
‘I had no prior knowledge’
In a statement issued by the Zoë Modiga and Yelloëwax team, the singer addressed the release of Banda Banda’s “Thula” (Culoe De Song Remix), which was released on September 4.
Modiga was unequivocal about her position.
“I want to make it clear that I had no prior knowledge of, involvement in, or approval of the release in question,” she said.
“I was neither consulted about nor did I give my approval for the release.”
According to Modiga, the disagreement is not simply about the release of a remix, but involves questions around rights, ownership and commercial arrangements.
“There are ongoing legal discussions concerning the rights, ownership, and commercial arrangements relating to the relevant work,” she said.
Those discussions, she added, remain unresolved.
“I have instructed my legal representatives to address the matter urgently and to take the appropriate steps on my behalf.”
From creative partners to a painful goodbye
The latest dispute comes after Modiga and Banda Banda spent years closely intertwined as creative collaborators.
Banda Banda produced much of the music associated with Modiga’s early career and was particularly important to the sound of her 2020 album Inganekwane. In 2020, Modiga described him as the producer of the album, while discussing her evolution into a more distinctly isiZulu musical identity.
Their partnership continued well beyond the recording studio, with the pair working on performances, concepts and musical projects together.
In 2022, they collaborated on the Ukubonga (Gratitude) show, with Modiga explaining that she and Banda Banda had developed the concept while reflecting on their respective musical journeys.
Their professional relationship was therefore not a brief industry collaboration. It became an important part of Modiga’s artistic journey.
Banda Banda’s influence also continued into later projects. He was involved in the production of Modiga’s music, including her 2024 album Nomthandazo and the single “Ngelosi”.
The breakup changed everything
By December 2025, however, the relationship had changed.
Modiga publicly announced their breakup in a social media post, with the post drawing attention to the end of what had been both a romantic and creative partnership. A search result from her Instagram post captured the response from followers, including one describing it as “the most healthiest break up”, while Banda Banda himself was acknowledged in the comments over his future endeavours.
The announcement was notable precisely because the pair had been so closely associated for years.
Their story had been one where love, friendship, business and music existed in the same space – making the separation more complicated than simply two musicians going their separate ways.
A new chapter for Modiga
The split came as Modiga was entering an important new period in her career.
In 2026, she released The Vault, her fourth studio album, a deeply personal project spanning material written between 2007 and 2025. The album explores different forms of love, including romantic, familial, spiritual and self-love.
The timing has made the project feel particularly significant.
Modiga has spoken openly about the importance of letting go, personal growth and reclaiming parts of herself. Speaking to Eyewitness News about The Vault, she described the process of revisiting old pieces of herself and making peace with them.
She has also described her current creative chapter as one centred on freedom and being fully herself.
“Another goal of mine is to continue being free, expressing my quirks, concerns, joys and being completely myself,” she said in an interview earlier this year.
That sentiment now takes on another meaning against the backdrop of her split from Banda Banda.
‘I do not intend to engage in a public debate’
Despite the seriousness of the dispute, Modiga has indicated that she does not intend to fight the battle publicly.
“As the matter is now being dealt with through formal legal channels, I do not intend to engage in a public debate about the underlying dispute while that process is ongoing,” she said.
The statement appears deliberately measured, particularly given the personal history between the two artists.
For now, the questions around who owns what, who had the authority to approve the remix and how the commercial arrangements surrounding the work should be handled will be left to the legal process.
The “Thula” remix, meanwhile, has brought an old creative partnership back into the public eye – this time not because of the music they made together, but because of what remains unresolved after their relationship ended.
