Erykah Badu has been banned from performing a concert in Malaysia after officials reportedly objected to a photograph of the singer sporting religious body art. Clutch magazine is reporting that Badu was scheduled to perform in the capital Kuala Lumpur when a semi-nude photograph surfaced of the singer with the word “Allah” written on her body in Arabic.
The photo originally appeared on Badu’s website, but Malaysia’s The Star, which is the country’s largest English paper, published the photograph on Monday.
The singer can reportedly remain in the country as a tourist, but her show at the KLCC Plenary Hall is not allowed to go ahead as planned.
Other entertainers such as Rihanna and Black Eyed Peas star Fergie, were ordered to cover up and tone down their raunchy routines, and Beyonce cancelled shows in the country in 2007 and 2009 after reportedly falling foul of Malaysia’s conservative Muslim groups.
