A Danish researcher says Russia can use Kanye West’s two sold-out concerts in Saint Petersburg politically, presenting them as proof that the country is not isolated.
DR reports that the assessment comes from Flemming Splidsboel, senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies. He spoke on the P1 culture program K-Live about the American rapper’s planned October shows.
According to Splidsboel, there can be something mutually beneficial in West performing in Russia. He says Russian media will be able to use the concerts as a story that the country still attracts major stars despite sanctions and international isolation. He describes the Russian public as hungry for concerts.
The two sold-out shows are set for Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg, which holds 70,000 people. Reuters reported that the venue, also known as Gazprom Arena, announced the dates of October 10 and 11 on its Telegram channel, billed as the Ye Live Concert Tour 2026.
Reuters also reported that the cheapest tickets, priced from 9,000 roubles, sold out within about an hour, citing the state news agency TASS. Per Meduza, prices run up to 160,000 roubles for VIP boxes, with standing tickets around 25,000 roubles. Meduza identifies the Russian promoter Say Agency, which confirmed the shows to the state agency RIA Novosti.
A rare Western act in Russia
DR notes that many international artists stopped performing in Russia after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It has also become harder for Russians to travel abroad for large stadium concerts. BBC News reports that West would be the most prominent Western performer to appear in Russia since the start of the war.
Splidsboel says the visit may also draw criticism inside Russia. He points to national conservative and left conservative circles, which he expects to ask why an American rapper should be invited.
West has repeatedly drawn attention with antisemitic and pro-Nazi statements. As DR notes, Adidas dropped him as a partner in 2022 after antisemitic remarks, and he has released a song titled “Heil Hitler” and sold T-shirts with swastikas on his website. Several of his planned European concerts were canceled or met by protests, a point also emphasized by The New York Times.
Why the timing matters
Reuters and BBC News report that the concerts were announced by the venue and the promoter on August 17, prompting immediate coverage and rapid ticket sales. Splidsboel says the plans come during an intense struggle over Russia’s place in international cultural and sporting life.
He points to signs that Russia is partly coming back in from the cold. Russia returned to the Venice Biennale art exhibition after several years of absence, a comeback that caused wide debate. The International Olympic Committee has also provisionally lifted sanctions on Russian athletes, who can now compete under the Russian flag.
