The nuns from the Abbaye de Notre-Dame de l’Annonciation near Avignon had their prayers answered last week after beating 70 other religious orders from North America and Africa to the deal with Universal Music.

The sisters, whose album is set to be released in November, put a clip of their Gregorian chants online, but realised on Tuesday a raft of death threats had been put at the bottom of the clip, La Provence reported on its website.

“There were threats written in English saying that these nuns had to be killed,” the newspaper reported, citing a person close to the matter.

The newspaper said the nuns had informed the police and asked them to keep a closer eye on the convent.

The sisters are not allowed to leave the convent or receive guests and only communicate with visitors through a grill.

The comments were no longer on the website on Thursday with only messages of encouragement left.

The nuns join a label that includes the likes of Elton John, The Rolling Stones and convent-educated chart topper Lady Gaga. -Reuters