Romance is not in the air for Janet Jackson and Maxwell.
The two musicians sparked rumors as they held hands while stepping out to a performance of Cabaret at the Playhouse Theatre in London on Monday, July 7, but a source tells PEOPLE their relationship is simply platonic.
“It’s just two friends who are hanging out,” the source says.
A rep for Jackson did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Photographs and fan video shared to social media showed Jackson, 59, smiling as she and Maxwell, 52, walked into the theater for the 1,500th performance of Cabaret. Other celebrity attendees at the milestone show included Eddie Redmayne and Helena Bonham Carter.
The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!
In June 2018, Jackson and ex-husband Wissam Al Mana got divorced following five years of marriage. The two share son Eissa, 8.
Dave Benett/Getty
Dave Benett/Getty
“[Being a mother is] the most beautiful thing. I’m so thankful God allowed me to have this experience, this journey in my life,” she told the BBC in July 2024. “And I love every single minute of it.”
Jackson revealed her single status in a September 2024 interview with The Guardian. “I’m single, so I pray to God that I might have different lenses on these eyes than I did before,” she said.
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
Ethan Miller/Getty
The superstar continued, “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?!’ But I think I’m seeing it through different lenses now. I think I am breaking that pattern.”
The “Nasty” artist is set to wrap her current concert residency at Resorts World Las Vegas in September.
Maxwell has shows scheduled in Europe and North America through October.
NEED TO KNOW Taylor Swift’s ring made its debut at a football game for Travis…
NEED TO KNOW Selena Gomez shared photos on Instagram from her fun-filled bachelorette celebration in…
NEED TO KNOW Ben Shelton was hit with a question from an unexpected person during…
NEED TO KNOW KPop Demon Hunters premiered on Netflix in June 2025, earning more than…
NEED TO KNOW Bart Johnson revealed that the cast and crew only had a few…
NEED TO KNOW Pedro Pascal is reportedly being eyed for the lead role in director…