Dubai's government has denied R Kelly had plans to perform there and meet its royal family – after the singer asked a judge for permission to travel to the UAE.
Lawyers for the US performer – who faces sex abuse charges – told a court he had signed up for several shows in Dubai and he was due to meet the ruling al Maktoum family.
But in a rare statement, Dubai's government said: "Authorities in Dubai have not received any request for a performance by singer R Kelly nor are there any venues that have been booked."
The statement added that the singer "has not been invited by the Dubai royal family for a performance".
Kelly's lawyer Steven Greenberg responded by saying Kelly had signed a contract with a "legitimate promoter" and any information in the court request "was from that contract".
He added: "We did not say he was invited by the royal family, but the contract did provide that he would make himself available to meet with them."
Kelly has been charged with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse for allegedly assaulting three underage girls and one adult woman.
More from Dubai
The 52-year-old denies the allegations, which follow the release of a documentary called Surviving R Kelly.
A condition of Kelly's bail is that he does not travel outside Illinois without the court's permission.
In Read More
[contf] [contfnew] 
Sky News
[contfnewc] [contfnewc]
