Janet Jackson and Maxwell are the subject of romance rumors after they were spotted in London holding hands.
On July 7, the two attended the 1,500th performance of Cabaret at the Playhouse Theatre in the City’s West End. Video from the evening shows the two entering the building hand in hand.
Jackson has been divorced for eight years, following her five years of marriage to Wissam Al Mana. Before that, she was married to René Elizondo Jr. and James DeBarge. In an interview with the BBC last year, the singer joked about her marriages, saying, “How many times have I been married now? Three, I think.”
That same year, Jackson spoke to the Guardian about being single.
“I know that if someone were to come along, [e]ven if I didn’t recognize it, I guarantee you my friends would shake the shit out of me and say, 'What are you doing?!’” she said. “But I think I’m seeing it through different lenses now. I think I am breaking that pattern.”
Maxwell has never been married, though over the years he’s been romantically linked to model Selita Ebanks and actress Julissa Bermudez. In 2014, the singer indicated that he has at least thought about married life, telling the Associated Press that he wanted to get hitched and have a kid.
“This year, is really about the people, it’s really about focusing on putting out the music, and taking myself to another level in life,” he said. “Hopefully getting married, having kids — the whole thing… I mean, it’s not my ovaries, so I can’t really plan that, but that would be great.”
If Maxwell and Jackson are dating, one person who may be watching closely is Jermaine Dupri, who dated Jackson from 2000-2008. Last year, a fan told him that he “fumbled” Jackson on X, prompting Dupri to agree with him.
“Whew whew you just said something !!” wrote the music mogul.