Dubai-based promotion company Vibe Entertainment hasn’t indicated how much it had promised the singer, but many top-tier artists have been known to name their own prices when playing the emirate state. Destiny’s Child, Bryan Adams, Mariah Carey and Aerosmith are among the major acts to have played Dubai in recent years.

But timing, not money caused Rihanna to pull the plug on Dubai. Although the singer hasn’t specifically said why timing was an issue, the show was scheduled to take place on May 28 – the same day Chris Brown is scheduled to appear at a court hearing.

In case you’ve been out of town, out of the country, comatose or cryogenically frozen for the last few months, Chris Brown was arrested on February 8 for allegedly beating up then-girlfriend Rihanna during an argument.

However, Vibe Entertainment Managing Director Yassin Matbouly says he was not aware of Brown’s court appearance, noting that May 28 was Vibe’s preferred date for hosting Rihanna. Furthermore, according to Matbouly, after a month and a half of negotiations, the singer’s managers never fully committed to the date.

Matbouly also said he never received anything in writing from Rihanna’s representatives.

“We put an offer across with a large amount of money, and it unfortunately did not happen,” Matbouly said. “We heard it was inappropriate timing for her to have a public concert.”