Is love in the air for Janet Jackson and Maxwell? The two R&B legends set social media ablaze Monday night (July 7) after stepping out hand-in-hand in London, fueling speculation that their decades-long friendship may have turned romantic.
The pair were seen arriving together at the Playhouse Theatre for the 1,500th performance of Cabaret, where they joined a star-studded audience that included Eddie Redmayne and Helena Bonham Carter. Jackson, 59, stunned in an all-white pantsuit and a sleek bun, while Maxwell, 52, offered a stylish contrast in all black.
The intimate appearance quickly went viral, with fans gushing over the potential couple.
“Janet and Maxwell together? My ‘90s R\&B heart can’t take this,” one fan wrote on X.
The sighting comes eight years after Jackson finalized her divorce from billionaire businessman Wissam Al Mana, with whom she shares her 8-year-old son, Eissa. In a 2024 interview with the BBC, Jackson called motherhood “the most beautiful thing,” adding that she cherishes every moment with her son.
Still, the five-time Grammy winner has remained open about her complicated relationship history. In a candid Guardian interview last fall, Jackson said she was single but working to break patterns from past relationships that involved coercive control.
“I know that if someone were to come along… even 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 laughed. “But I think I’m seeing it through different lenses now.”
Jackson’s recent reemergence into the public spotlight has been marked by career milestones as well. In May, she received the 2025 ICON Award at the American Music Awards and delivered a fan-favorite performance featuring “All for You” and “Someone to Call My Lover.”
“I don’t consider myself an icon,” she said in her humble acceptance speech. “My story, my family’s story, is truly an American story. This would have only happened in America.”
Earlier this year, Jackson completed a 10-date Las Vegas residency and is scheduled to return for six more shows this September.
As for Maxwell, the soul crooner has largely kept his personal life out of the spotlight. But if Monday night’s appearance is any indication, fans may soon be witnessing an R&B fairytale unfold in real time.
