American R&B star Ne-Yo is facing a lawsuit filed in the United States by Sri Lankan concert promoter Brown Boy Presents over the cancellation of his planned Colombo performance, with the company seeking the return of more than US$284,000 paid in advance, Billboard reports.
The lawsuit, filed on Sept. 4, names Ne-Yo, his company Compound Touring and booking agency Independent Artist Group (IAG) as defendants and raises several contract-related civil claims.
According to Billboard, Brown Boy Presents signed an agreement with Ne-Yo for a concert at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo on Dec. 28, 2025. The agreement guaranteed the singer a flat performance fee of US$325,000, in addition to potential ticket-sale bonuses, travel and accommodation.
Brown Boy Presents claims it paid at least US$284,460 toward the agreed performance fee before the concert was cancelled.
The concert did not go ahead after Ne-Yo withdrew in early December.
According to Billboard, Ne-Yo’s team maintained at the time that Brown Boy Presents had breached the agreement by paying only around US$284,000 of the required advance and failing to arrange travel and accommodation as agreed.
The singer’s team informed the promoter that the money already paid would be retained as damages over the alleged breach.
Brown Boy Presents, however, alleges in its lawsuit that Ne-Yo and his representatives were responsible for breaching the agreement.
The promoter claims Ne-Yo’s team hindered its ability to fulfil the contract by demanding expensive travel arrangements for a group of around 30 people, with the total airfare eventually reaching nearly US$93,000.
The lawsuit also refers to the impact of Cyclone Ditwah and the resulting economic disruption in Sri Lanka in late November, claiming this affected the local ticket-buying environment and the promoter’s operations.
Brown Boy Presents is now seeking the return of the more than US$284,000 paid to Ne-Yo’s team, as well as compensation for losses arising from the cancellation.
According to Billboard, the additional losses claimed by the promoter include ticket refund charges, losses involving sponsors and expenses related to the venue and production.
Ne-Yo’s team has strongly rejected the lawsuit’s allegations.
A spokesperson for the singer told Billboard that the claims were “categorically fraudulent and misleading,” maintaining that Brown Boy Presents was contractually required to pay Ne-Yo in full before the performance and cover round-trip travel for the singer and his entire team.
The spokesperson alleged that the promoter failed to fulfil either obligation despite being given several opportunities to address the breaches.
Ne-Yo’s representatives further claimed it became apparent that Brown Boy Presents did not have the financial resources to meet its contractual obligations, leaving the singer with no choice but to withdraw from the performance.
The spokesperson also alleged that Ne-Yo’s team had since become aware of similar allegations involving Brown Boy Presents and other parties.
IAG declined to comment on the lawsuit, according to Billboard.
