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World-famous rap artist Kanye West performed in Istanbul for the first time on May 30, 2026, turning Ataturk Olympic Stadium into one of the city’s biggest live music venues of the year.
The concert, held in cooperation with NTRteam, drew about 118,000 listeners and brought together fans not only from Türkiye but also from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Poland, the Middle East and other regions.
Kanye West took the stage in Istanbul for the first time, marking a major moment for his listeners in Türkiye. The concert was presented as one of the year’s largest music events and filled up the stadium hours before the performance began.
The event stood out for its international crowd, with visitors coming from several European countries, Russia, the Middle East and across Türkiye.
Ataturk Olympic Stadium, one of Istanbul’s major sports and event venues, hosted the concert as thousands of fans moved into the stands and field area.
West opened the concert with “Father” and closed the night with “Stronger,” placing two contrasting tracks at the beginning and end of the performance.
During the show, he also performed well-known songs from his career, including “King,” “Runaway,” “Power,” “Flashing Lights,” “Heartless,” “Black Skinhead,” “All The Love” and “Homecoming.”
The performance lasted about two hours, with West singing continuously on a spherical stage setup.
One of the most striking parts of the concert was the stage design, which had been shaped through West’s Los Angeles SoFi Stadium performances.
The show was supported by intense light displays, fog effects and synchronized visuals. As thousands of fans switched on their mobile phone lights, the stands and field created a bright visual scene that added to the atmosphere of the performance.
Several well-known figures attended the concert, including actors Sukru Ozyildiz, Alina Boz, Nilperi Sahinkaya, Hazar Erguclu, Yasemin Allen, Afra Saracoglu and Asli Tandogan, along with Ayse Tolga, Umut Evirgen, singer Elif Buse Dogan and Burak Kut.
The concert was also broadcast live on Kanye West’s official YouTube account, reaching millions of viewers within minutes.
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