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Organisers have officially cancelled two concerts by Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, that had been set for St Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena this month, according to a statement issued by Say Agency on October 1. The Moscow-based promoter expressed sincere regret in a Telegram post and said it would release further details on the project’s status and future plans soon. Reuters reported that the shows had remained in limbo for weeks after the venue’s initial denial, while BBC News noted the development ends speculation that had persisted since mid-August. The cancellation follows a pattern of setbacks for the rapper’s international touring plans amid ongoing controversy over his past statements.
Gazprom Arena stated in August that it had never signed a contract with the promoters for the October 10 and 11 dates, a position the stadium reiterated even after initially promoting the event on social media. Say Agency responded at the time that it learned of the venue’s announcement through the media and insisted the concerts had not been cancelled while it sought to resolve the issue, Billboard reported. The Moscow Times detailed how conflicting statements from the venue and promoter created weeks of uncertainty for ticket holders, with some Russian media outlets suggesting possible intervention from senior officials. Access Opera, the associated US touring agency, directed fans seeking refunds to contact Say Agency directly.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had criticised the planned appearances, describing them as unacceptable due to what she called the West’s glorification of Hitler, according to Reuters. Pro-war military bloggers also questioned hosting a US performer while Washington supports Ukraine, adding to the backlash that emerged shortly after the mid-August announcement. The Moscow Times reported that the concerts triggered immediate opposition from conservative politicians, given Ye’s history of public statements that violate Russian laws against supporting Nazism. These reactions contributed to the mounting pressure that preceded the final cancellation.
Ye has resumed touring in 2026 with a series of US stadium shows after earlier setbacks in Europe, where several dates were scrapped over his antisemitic and pro-Nazi remarks, BBC News reported. He performed to a large crowd at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium in May, an event Turkish organisers described as drawing more than 100,000 attendees. The rapper apologised earlier this year for his comments, attributing them to a brain injury and bipolar disorder, yet the controversy continued to affect his international bookings, as seen in cancellations across Poland, Italy, Switzerland and the UK. His planned Russia dates would have marked one of the largest Western artist performances in the country since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Tickets for the St Petersburg shows had sold out rapidly, with prices ranging from 9,000 roubles to 160,000 roubles, according to multiple reports including those from Meduza and The Washington Post. Say Agency indicated that refunds would begin on October 12, though full terms and instructions were to follow in a later update. Kommersant newspaper reported that authorities have launched an investigation into the organisers on suspicion of fraud, a development that emerged as the dates disappeared from Ye’s tour schedule in mid-September. The promoter had claimed to have sold around 100,000 tickets before the venue dispute became public.
The episode highlights the challenges Western artists face when attempting to perform in Russia amid the ongoing conflict and domestic sensitivities, as noted across coverage by Euronews and dpa international. Gazprom Arena, which has a capacity of approximately 70,000 for such events, emphasised it bore no responsibility for the booking. Ye has not commented publicly on the cancellation, while Say Agency’s latest statement stopped short of elaborating on underlying causes beyond the venue issues. Similar rumours of Russian performances had circulated in 2024 during the artist’s visit for a fashion designer’s birthday but did not materialise at the time.
