A coalition of prominent Maltese singers and performers, including Eurovision stars Ira Losco, Destiny Chukunyere, and Gaia Cauchi, have filed a legal judicial protest against choreographer Felix Busuttil Galea.
The filing, presented in the First Hall of the Civil Court against Busuttil operating on behalf of YADA Dance Company, accuses the director of failing to pay top local artists for their professional services in a major stage production.
The legal action represents a united front across Malta's creative community. Joining Losco, Chukunyere, and Cauchi in the court action are celebrated singers Mary Rose Mallia, Sarah Bonnici, Deborah Ann Vella, Pamela Kerr, and music producer Elton Zarb.
The court document details how the performers were personally engaged by Busuttil to deliver professional vocal, dance, and musical composition services for the production Divas II - The Dance Show. The spectacle was held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta, consisting of six live performances staged across two weekends in March 2025, from 7 March to 9 March and 14 March to 16 March.
In addition to the six performance dates, the legal filing highlights the extensive labor required behind the scenes. The artists dedicated long hours to mandatory preparations and regular rehearsal schedules prior to opening night, a commitment that effectively prevented them from accepting other professional contracts during that period.
According to the court document, all performers executed their duties to the highest professional standard, contributing directly to the success of the production. At no point during or after the show were any complaints raised regarding the quality of their work or their adherence to obligations.
Despite the production's conclusion, invoices issued by the performers remain entirely or largely unpaid. The artists emphasised these fees constitute their primary source of livelihood, making timely payment essential.
The protest points out that the artists made repeated individual and collective attempts to resolve the debt amicably out of court.
While Busuttil offered multiple assurances that payments would be made shortly, these promises were never honoured. Furthermore, the filing alleges that on certain occasions, Busuttil falsely informed some performers that other artists had already been paid, when in reality no such settlements had occurred.
Represented by legal counsel Zackariah Esmail and Kayleigh Borg, the artists have formally placed Busuttil in legal default.
The court protest gives Busuttil a strict ultimatum of three days from notification to settle all outstanding balances, warning that full judicial action will follow immediately without further notice.