R. Kelly announces tour in Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, defying backlash

Cydney Henderson
Updated

R. Kelly isn't stepping away from the limelight despite growing backlash over the shocking allegations made against him in Lifetime's "Surviving R. Kelly" docu-series.

In fact, the controversial R&B singer, 52, announced on Twitter that he's getting ready to embark on a new tour thousands of miles away from the United States.

"NEW TOUR ALERT," Kelly tweeted Tuesday, revealing upcoming stops in Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. He didn't list any dates or venues on his tour poster, only saying that the "King of R&B" will be "coming soon."

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The reaction to Kelly's announcement was mixed, with supporters who exclaimed "the storm is over" and "your concerts must go on," as well as adversaries who said "lock him up" and "nobody wants you here."

An overseas tour would not be the first time Kelly has performed since the Lifetime series was released in January. He belted out an a cappella rendition of his 1994 hit "Bump n' Grind" during his birthday celebration at a Chicago nightclub on Jan. 8 and is scheduled to perform two shows in Germany in April.

'Surviving R. Kelly':

All the shocking claims from night one of the docu-series

The most horrifying claims from night two

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R. Kelly in June 2013 at the BET Awards in Los Angeles.
R. Kelly in June 2013 at the BET Awards in Los Angeles.

His tour announcement comes weeks after "Surviving R. Kelly" highlighted decades of sexual misconduct allegations against the embattled artist, which Kelly has denied.

Many fans and celebrities have denounced Kelly. And many artists, including Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and Jennifer Hudson, have pulled songs from streaming platforms that feature or were created by the R&B hitmaker. The "Mute R. Kelly" social media campaign also has gained steam.

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Related: Now singers are banishing R. Kelly-written songs from streaming catalogs, concert setlists

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: R. Kelly announces tour in Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, defying backlash