The agent who failed to book R&B singer Monica for a Durham festival last month will repay all $37,000 he owes the city by next spring, the city said Wednesday.

Chris Weeks was contracted to book Monica for the annual Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival held May 18, but the singer never showed up.

Instead, she filmed a selfie video the night before in which she speculated someone had been scammed.

“I will not be there. I was not there today. I will not be there tomorrow,” Monica said, her matter-of-fact delivery and repeated use of “Raleigh-Durham” prompting jokes online.

The city announced on Wednesday that Weeks has so far repaid $5,000 and will deliver the remaining money in $3,200 monthly installments. The final payment is scheduled to arrive in April 2025, according to an agreement signed Monday.

Weeks, who is based in Raleigh, told The News & Observer last month he had worked with “one of Monica’s booking agents.”

“The discrepancies were on her end and had nothing to do with the City of Durham or myself. The money is expected to be refunded shortly, at which point I will deliver it back to Durham,” Weeks said in an email.

Weeks has since declined to discuss the matter publicly, so it’s unclear if the money he paid the unnamed booking agent was ever returned.

Weeks’ deal, signed in January, was worth $45,000. He cleared all but the final $8,000 check, which was meant to be delivered after the show, according to a contract and invoices obtained by The N&O.

The festival is a free event organized by the city’s Parks & Rec department.

The city began sending him collection letters the week after the debacle.

“While I am disappointed that we didn’t have a headline performer for this historic and much cherished festival, I am satisfied that the City will be repaid,” City Manager Wanda Page said in a news release. Monday

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