Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has announced two concerts in St Petersburg, Russia, in October, becoming one of the biggest Western artists to perform in the country since Russia invaded Ukraine.
The shows at the 70,000-capacity Gazprom Arena sold out within hours of the announcement on Monday. Ticket prices ranged from 9,000 roubles ($78) to 160,000 roubles ($1,394).
The concerts come after several European dates on West’s 2026 tour were canceled amid criticism over his antisemitic and pro-Nazi remarks.
In the UK, the Wireless Festival was canceled after West was denied entry to the country. Concerts in France, Poland, Italy, and the Czech Republic were also called off, while shows in Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Turkey, and Albania went ahead.
West apologized in January, saying he was “deeply mortified” by his previous statements. However, his comments and subsequent actions have continued to draw criticism.
Western artists have largely stayed away from Russia since the invasion of Ukraine, with many record labels suspending operations in the country. Only a limited number of international acts have performed there in recent years.
West has previously visited Russia, including a 2024 trip to attend fashion designer Gosha Rubchinskiy’s birthday celebration.
