Kanye West's St Petersburg concerts cancelled, organiser says
Moscow-based Say Agency says Kanye West's two planned October concerts in St Petersburg "cannot take place on the scheduled dates", ending weeks of uncertainty after the venue denied ever signing a contract.
Kanye West’s two planned concerts in Russia, scheduled for October in St Petersburg, have been cancelled, the show’s Moscow-based organiser, Say Agency, said on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
“Friends, it is with sincere regret that we inform you that the YE concerts in St Petersburg cannot take place on the scheduled dates,” Say Agency posted on Telegram. A further official statement on “the status of the project and our future plans” will follow, and AFP reported the agency said it would “publish details regarding the refund terms and conditions shortly”.
The concerts were announced in mid-August, but a week later the venue due to host them said it had never signed a contract with the organisers, leaving the shows in limbo ever since, Reuters reported. The organisers gave no reason for the cancellation, and West has not commented, AFP said.
Had the shows gone ahead, West — who performs as Ye — would have become one of the biggest Western music stars to headline in Russia since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. West has faced concert bans in several European countries this year over past antisemitic remarks, and apologised in January, attributing them to an undiagnosed brain injury and untreated bipolar disorder, according to Reuters.
AFP also reported that the Kommersant newspaper said police were investigating the organisers for alleged fraud, citing an unnamed source — a claim not independently verified.
Sources
- Reuters: “Kanye West’s planned Russia concerts cancelled, organiser says” — https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/kanye-wests-planned-russia-concerts-cancelled-organiser-says-2026-10-01/
- AFP (via IOL): “Kanye West’s Russian concerts have been cancelled, organisers say” — https://iol.co.za/entertainment/music/2026-10-01-kanye-wests-russian-concerts-have-been-cancelled-organisers-say/
- Kyiv Independent: “Kanye West’s sold-out Russia concerts cancelled, organizers confirm” — https://kyivindependent.com/kanye-west-concerts-at-russias-gazprom-arena-officially-cancelled/
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